Cuban dissidents, along with their relatives and supporters, said on Friday that the island's government had this week freed at least 38 people on a US list of imprisoned opposition members.

US officials said after weeks of virtual silence that those released were on the list of 53.

Ben Rhodes, the deputy US national security adviser who negotiated the releases as part of a broader detente with Cuba, said on Twitter: "The United States welcomes the substantial and ongoing releases of prisoners in Cuba - so good to see people reunited with their families."

One of the dissidents released was Miguel Alberto Ulloa, who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday.

"For many years President (Raul) Castro has kept it (Cuba) practically out of touch from the rest of the world," he said.

"One of the things (US President Barack) Obama said is that something could occur (referring to improved diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US) but only as long as there is democracy and freedom of expression, something that still doesn't exist in Cuba," he added.

A Miami-based Cuba-American group has said three other dissidents on the list were freed last month, for a total of 41 to be let go.

Wilberto Parada, another of the dissidents released this week, said: "I do what I do for my own moral beliefs, I am not an agent of the United States. I am a free man, I have my own thoughts, I am in Cuba and I am a Cuban."

AP TELEVISION

Havana, Cuba - 9 January, 2015

1. Hand-painted message on water tank at the home of released Cuban dissident Miguel Alberto Ulloa reading (Spanish) "Change"

2. Hand-painted message on water tank reading (English) "USA-Cuba"

3. Ulloa and his relatives (Ulloa is wearing a red T-shirt and carrying his son) walking next to water tank

4. Close of Ulloa's release papers; Ulloa is pointing to text reading (Spanish) "Cause of release: Probation"

5. Ulloa sitting on the sofa with his wife Tailadys Perez their son

6. Ulloa's relatives watching as he talks to reporters

7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Miguel Alberto Ulloa, released political prisoner:

"For many years President (Raul) Castro has kept it (Cuba) practically out of touch from the rest of the world. One of the things (US President Barack) Obama said is that something could occur (referring to improved diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US) but only as long as there is democracy and freedom of expression, something that still doesn't exist in Cuba."

8. Ulloa's relatives listening to interview

9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Maribel Ginal, mother of released political prisoner Miguel Alberto Ulloa:

"I think they (government authorities) should respect the agreements (between Cuba and the US), and that it could benefit those who think like this (referring to dissidents), and for more freedom of expression."

10. People and traffic on Havana street

11. Various of released political prisoner Wilberto Parada hugging wife and son inside their home

12. Handwritten message on wall inside living room reading (Spanish) "Jehovah is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing."

13. Parada seen reflected in mirror, handwritten message on wall reading (Spanish) "Jehovah is with me like a mighty giant"

14. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Wilberto Parada, released political prisoner:

"I do what I do for my own moral beliefs, I am not an agent of the United States. I am a free man, I have my own thoughts, I am in Cuba and I am a Cuban."

15. Cutaway of Parada and family

16. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Yudisnel Rodriguez, Wilberto Parada's wife:

"This was terrible, what we have gone through. All the suffering and injustice hurts a lot. The injustice hurts quite a lot."

17. Parada standing with wife and son on street

18. Parada greeting neighbours

19. Cuban flag draped from balcony

20. Wide of Cuban street

The Reverend Jesse Jackson said on Sunday that he intends to press on with a bid to mediate the retrieval of a former US soldier captured by Colombian rebels three months ago, despite the cool response to his plan from that country's president.

Jackson said he still plans to travel to Colombia in the coming days in hopes of negotiating a cease-fire for a patch of jungle where US citizen Kevin Scott Sutay can be picked up safely.

The guerrilla army known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has repeatedly called for a halt to hostilities during peace talks being carried out in Havana since November, but Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has refused.

Jackson said a lengthy pause in the fighting is not necessary for his mission.

Jackson announced on Saturday that he had accepted a FARC invitation to intervene in the case of Sutay, who was detained by the rebels while hiking through the jungle in June.

According to the FARC, Sutay was wearing military fatigues and carrying surveillance equipment.

Jackson said the guerrillas told him that Sutay is "free to leave," but the logistics of that happening safely have to be worked out.

"We need the ceasefire zone and the capacity to retrieve him," Jackson told reporters after meeting with FARC leadership in Havana's Hotel Nacional on Sunday.

Following the announcement on Saturday, Santos said on Twitter that "only the Red Cross will be authorised to facilitate the handover of the North American kidnapped by the FARC. We will not allow a media spectacle."

Santos has repeatedly said he would not send public figures to retrieve Sutay, insisting it be done discreetly by the International Red Cross.

The Red Cross in Colombia sought to stay out of the fray.

Jackson expressed the hope the talks in Cuba will yield a peace agreement and said he remains optimistic a deal can be negotiated on Sutay.

He said on Sunday that he felt Santos had been "full of goodwill" following meetings between the two about Sutay in Colombia two weeks ago, and said he felt the Colombian president really did want to resolve the issue.

AP TELEVISION

1. Various of Reverend Jesse Jackson walking accompanied by FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) leadership, FARC lead negotiator in peace talks with Colombian government Ivan Marquez (left) walking next to Jackson

2. Wide of Jackson coming out of hotel to address the media

3. Jackson with media

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Activist and Baptist Minister:

++Simultaneous Spanish translation++

"We still intend to go to Colombia in a matter of days to retrieve Kevin Scott. Today he is free to leave, but we need the ceasefire zone and the capacity to retrieve him."

5. Wide of Jackson with media

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Activist and Baptist Minister:

++Simultaneous Spanish translation++

"When I met with Mr. Santos (Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos) I thought he was full of goodwill. I think he really wants it solved, but he's trying to avoid a diversion. And I really think all of us are, so we need not point a finger at him. We want to relieve any unnecessary or unfounded fears he may have."

7. Jackson with media

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini met with Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez on Sunday during her trip to Cuba for the Cuba-European Union Joint Council in Havana.

Rodríguez said via Twitter said that the work of the joint committee has shown that "there are more elements that unite us than those that separate us," adding "we will continue to work with respect, trust, transparency and cooperation."

Cuba is in a delicate economic situation with little growth and its main partner in Latin America, Venezuela, is facing political and financial tensions.

Mogherini's visit to Cuba comes at a time when US President Donald Trump's administration has toughened sanctions against the island nation.  

The first Cuba-EU Joint Council took place in Belgium on 15 May 2018.

Havana – 8 September 2019

1. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez shaking hands, posing for photo, leaving

2. Various Mogherini and Rodríguez during meeting

3. European flag flying

4. Exterior of Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs building

5. Cuban flag flying

Cuba announced on Thursday it's expanding Internet access by adding Wi-Fi capacity to dozens of state-run Internet centres and more than halving the cost that users pay for an hour online.

The announcement is the first significant expansion of the internet on the island since the United States and Cuba agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations in December.

Thirty-five government computer centres around the country will have Wi-Fi starting next month, and the price of one hour online would drop to 2 US dollars from 4.50 US dollars now, the Communist government said.

That price remains unaffordable for most Cubans but the change would represent a significant improvement in access for many people.

Home Internet remains illegal for most of the Cuban population and online access at offices with Internet is highly limited and controlled.

AP TELEVISION

Havana - 18 June 2015

1. Cubans surfing the internet at Wi-Fi (wireless internet) hotspot, Cuban flag painted on wall

2. Close of people using mobile phones

3. Various of Cubans gathered at Wi-Fi hotspot

4. Close of laptop

5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Eliecer Mesa, Cuban student:

"The internet is a network, a worldwide computing system, and it's good that we have access to everything the internet represents, so we can communicate with the whole world."

6. Young women surfing the internet

7. Close of tablet

8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Yoan Llannes, Havana resident:

"The first thing they need to improve now is the (internet) service. The download speed is a little slow sometimes and you spend the 4.50 (US dollars, referring to the price of one hour online) very quickly when you connect to pages like Facebook or Twitter. The prices should keep going down."

9. Close of mobile phone

10. People walking on street near Wi-Fi hotspot

11. Cars passing by street, people waiting to cross

Colombia's government and the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia say they have agreed on the return of a handful of children living in the group's camps to civilian life.

Negotiators working on a peace deal in Havana said Sunday evening that they had agreed to move children younger than 15 out of the FARC's camps.

The head of the rebels' negotiating team told Colombian media last year that there were 13 children younger than 15 living among FARC fighters.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos praised the agreement on his Twitter account, calling it "historic."

The two sides have been negotiating a peace accord since 2012 that would end their more-than 50 year war.

They missed a deadline for a final deal two months ago and have yet to reach agreement on a cease-fire and the disarming and demobilizing of rebels into temporary protected zones.

Colombia's government and the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia say they have agreed on the return of a handful of children living in the group's camps to civilian life.

Negotiators working on a peace deal in Havana said Sunday evening that they had agreed to move children younger than 15 out of the FARC's camps.

The head of the rebels' negotiating team told Colombian media last year that there were 13 children younger than 15 living among FARC fighters.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos praised the agreement on his Twitter account, calling it "historic."

The two sides have been negotiating a peace accord since 2012 that would end their more-than 50 year war.

They missed a deadline for a final deal two months ago and have yet to reach agreement on a cease-fire and the disarming and demobilizing of rebels into temporary protected zones.

Havana – 15 May 2016

1. Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) lead negotiator Ivan Marquez and Colombian government's lead negotiator Humberto de la Calle shaking hands before news conference

2. United Nations representative Leila Serrougui (left) and other officials

3. Colombian Foreign Minister Paula Gaviria seated before news conference

4. FARC and Colombian government negotiators seated before news conference

5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Ivan Marquez, top FARC commander and lead negotiator:

"Today, the government and the FARC reached a new agreement which will free underage children from the rigors of the conflict. We hope this decision will become the basis for all Colombians to become aware of the urgency to protect the rights of girls, boys and teenagers in the country."

6. De la Calle during news conference

7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Humberto de la Calle, Colombian government's lead negotiator:

"Three important measures have been announced: the exit of children younger than 15 years old from the (FARC) camps, the creation of a plan to allow the progressive disassociation of all minors under 18, and the creation of a comprehensive program to provide the best care to these children who leave the war."

8. Serrougui giving speech

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Leila Serrougui, United Nations Representative:

"I call on all Colombian people to support this agreement, and to see this as a crucial element in constructing a durable peace for your country, and ensuring guarantees for non-repetition"

10. Pan right meeting

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT JUAN MANUEL SANTOS TWITTER ACCOUNT - AP CLIENTS ONLY

16 May 2016

11. Various screen grabs of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' Twitter account welcoming the agreement

12. Screen grab of Santos' tweet reading (Spanish) "We reached a historic agreement in Havana to take children away from war"