Havana  - Cuba's 2008 will probably be remembered as the year of hurricanes - in both meteorological and political terms.

Political change that seemed to anticipate reform happened just as the largest island in the West Indies was getting ready to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of a revolution that had previously seemed immovable.

After 19 months of uncertainty since Fidel Castro fell ill and disappeared from the public light in July 2006, the historic Cuban leader finally unveiled a mystery on February
19, when he announced that he would not be standing for re-election as Cuban president.

Havana  - Three Russian warships sailed into Havana on Friday for the first time since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, as Moscow boosts relations with the Cold War ally and long-time foe of the United States.

Gun salutes were fired as the missile destroyer Admiral Chabanenko sailed into the port of Cuban capital Havana, accompanied by two other support ships. Hundreds of curious locals and tourists crowded the waterfront to get a first glimpse of the ships.

Brasilia  - Cuban President Raoul Castro, on his first official foreign visit since taking power in February, Thursday suggested that Havana and Washington could consider a possible prisoner exchange to start a thaw in relations between the two countries.

Castro, who took over leadership of the communist country in February from his ailing brother, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, made the remarks after meeting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Havana - The Cuban dissident group Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) has asked the European Parliament to lobby on behalf of the freedom of political prisoners in the Caribbean nation.

"The Cuban people are not free. They suffer under totalitarian oppression from a regime that denies us rights which are recognized around the world as human rights," MCL president Oswaldo Paya wrote in a letter publicized Wednesday in Havana.

Rio de Janeiro - Cuban President Raul Castro hailed as "historic" Tuesday the first Latin American-Caribbean Conference, which was taking place Tuesday and Wednesday in the northeastern Brazilian seaside resort of Costa do Sauipe.

Speaking as a guest before leaders of the Mercosur trade bloc - which was holding its own summit along with those of three other organizations in the resort close to Salvador de Bahia - Castro said his country had a "brotherhood without restrictions" in relation to all efforts for integration in the region.

Caracas/Havana - Cuban President Raul Castro is to travel to Venezuela Saturday, on his first trip abroad as head of state.

Raul Castro has not travelled abroad since he "temporarily" took over power from his brother Fidel in July 2006 and officially became head of state in February. He was then to travel on to Brazil, where he was to attend a summit of Latin American and Caribbean countries Tuesday and Wednesday in the north-eastern state of Bahia.