Washington, Apr. 30 : Cuban strongman Raul Castro has said that it is the United States that needs to come forward with gestures to show that it is keen on improving relations with Cuba.

Echoing his ailing older brother Fidel, the Daily News quoted Cuban President Raul Castro as saying: "Cuba has not imposed sanctions against the U. S." and "therefore it is not Cuba that has to make gestures."

Havana  - Cuban President Raul Castro held his first talks with a US congressional delegation since taking office a little more than a year ago, Cuban state television reported.

No details about Monday's talks were released.

The seven-member delegation of Democrats was in Havana to explore ways of improving US-Cuban relations as US President Barack Obama, also a Democrat, was expected to lift some of the restrictions the United States imposed on the island almost 50 years ago.

Havana  - Cuban President Raul Castro on Monday undertook a

Havana  - This year's unprecedented parade of foreign leaders in Havana - six from Latin America and one from Africa - is a sign that at least one thing has changed in Cuba since February 24, 2008, when Raul Castro took over as president of the communist island.

Within the country, however, the great expectations about far- reaching structural changes in Cuba have virtually died over the last year.

For the international community, Cuba appears to have taken large strides.

Johannesburg - Cuban President Raul Castro on Thursday kicked off a state visit to oil-rich Angola, a longtime ally of the Communist island, where he was due to hold talks with President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

Angola's state press agency Angop reported that Castro, 77, who replaced his ailing brother Fidel Castro as president last year, was to receive the official welcome given heads of state at the presidential palace in Luanda.

Castro, 77, was due to give a speech at the official opening of talks with dos Santos, before later addressing an extraordinary session of the National Assembly.

Havana  - Cuba has declared the birthplace of brothers Fidel and Raul Castro a "national monument," state media reported.

The rural home of the Castros near the village of Biran in Holguin province in south-eastern Cuba was given the distinction because of its "extraordinary historical value," news reports said Tuesday.