The U.S. flag was raised over the embassy in Havana, Cuba, for the first time in 54 years. http://t.co/36WCwxoqa8
https://t.co/lypRUKv9eJ— CNN (@CNN) August 14, 2015
News Round-Up: August 12, 2015
Some news stories you may have missed:
• Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne covers OUT and discusses his role as transgender pioneer Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl.
• Former Texas governor and GOP presidential hopeful has had to stop paying his campaign staff due to lack of funds.
• Former President Jimmy Carter revealed today that he has cancer.
• Folks are petitioning Proctor & Gamble to run their cute, award-winning gay couple Tide detergent commercial in the US.
• New poll shows Trump lost a bit of ground in Iowa after last week’s debate; Jeb Bush dropped from 3rd to 7th; Marco Rubio jumps from 8th to 3rd in the early election state.
• The governor of Puerto Rico has issued executive orders banning discrimination against transgenders regarding emergency room treatment and drivers licenses.
• The homophobe who attacked two West Point graduates in New York City (and got his ass kicked) has been arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime and attempted assault as a hate crime. That’ll learn him.
• Openly gay Cuban-American poet Richard Blanco (the first openly gay poet to speak at a presidential inauguration) has been invited to read a new work at the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Havana.
The United States Officially Reestablishes Diplomatic Relations With Cuba
This includes reopening the US embassy in Havana.
For 50 years the embargo and nonexistent relations did not help the people of Cuba.
Here’s hoping this progress keeps talks moving forward in a positive direction.
Poll: Majority Of Americans Support Plans To Reestablish Diplomatic Relations With Cuba
According to a recent CBS poll, a majority of Americans support President Obama’s decision to reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba:
In the wake of President Obama’s surprise announcement of an agreement to normalize diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba, 54 percent of Americans approve of reestablishing both diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries, while just 28 percent disapprove. Democrats and independents support reestablishing relations with Cuba, while Republicans are divided.
Evaluations of President Obama’s handling of relations with Cuba are mixed: 44 percent of Americans approve and 36 percent disapprove.
Even though the question of renewed relations with Cuba divides Republicans, they overwhelmingly disapprove (67 percent) of the President’s handling of the matter. Most Democrats approve (72 percent), while independents are divided.
President Obama Announces Changes In Relationship With Cuba
In what looks to be the most sweeping change in the U.S. policy towards Cuba since the 1961 embargo was first imposed, President Obama today announced a change of course in diplomatic and regulatory measures towards the country.
Changes include re-establishing diplomatic relations that have been severed since 1961; moves to open an American embassy in Havana; travel and commerce between the countries will be expanded, and more.
More details at Yahoo News.