US eases travel, trade with Cuba from Friday

The United States will ease travel and trade restrictions with Cuba on Friday, implementing last month's agreement to begin normalizing ties with the Cold War-era foe. "Today's announcement takes us one step closer to replacing out-of-date policies that were not working and puts in place a policy that helps promote political and economic freedom for the Cuban people," Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said Thursday. While a US trade embargo remains in effect, the rule changes will