Havana

A series of mysterious sonic attacks on US diplomatic personnel (and more than a few spies) working at Washington’s Havana embassy have provided ample justification for the White House to reverse the US-Cuba detente negotiated by the Obama administration. And in a gesture that - though it has no implications for policy - is considered symbolically important, the State Department said Thursday the US will defend America’s decades-old economic embargo on Cuba by voting against a UN resolution condemning it, the Associated Press reported.

As previewed last night, when we reported that the US government would expel as many as 60% of Cuba's Washington Embassy staff, on Tuesday morning the Trump administration announced Tuesday it will expel 15 Cuban diplomats from the U.S. in response to months of mysterious “health attacks” that have affected American personnel in Havana. The State Department said that the decision was made due to "Cuba's failure to take appropriate steps to protect our diplomats in accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention."

The first minaret in Cuba could soon issue calls to prayers to faithful Muslims across Havana. The predominantly Catholic nation of Cuba, which generally has a chilly relationship with religion, is planning to build its first official Mosque for roughly 10,000 Muslims who are currently living on the island. The funding is reportedly being provided by Saudi Arabia. Sputnik reports: Cuba has officially been a secular state since its communist revolution in 1959.