The European Union has agreed to lift sanctions against Cuba, much to the annoyance of the White House. "We see encouraging signs in Cuba and I think that we should show the population in Cuba that we are ready to work with them," an EU official tells the AFP. It's a largely symbolic victory for Cuba and Spain—which lobbied for the change—because sanctions have been suspended since 2005.
"We're disappointed," says a National Security Council spokesman. "The Castros need to take a number of steps to improve human rights conditions for ordinary Cubans before sanctions are lifted." (More European Union stories.)