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While President Obama described the embassy as “not merely symbolic” and a move representing the liberation of the American people from “the past” in a speech this morning, the Cuban government issued a statement refusing to reestablish full diplomatic relations with the United States until America gifted the territory of Guantánamo Bay to Cuba and ceased broadcasting radio and television news reports into the island, which constitute the only way many Cubans have of receiving trustworthy international news.

Sen. Ted Cruz criticized the Obama administration's decision to reopen U.S. and Cuban embassies in the countries' respective capitals Wednesday, calling the move "a serious mistake." Cruz's comments followed President Barack Obama's announcement Wednesday that the United States formally will restore diplomatic ties with Cuba.

Help in Answering a Question By Ari Bussel I was asked what seemed a very easy question: Why does no country keep an embassy in Israel’s capital, Jerusalem? In 1947 (November 29) the United Nations called for a termination of the British Mandate over Palestine and partitioned the land into a Jewish and an Arab state. It was in 1948 that the Jewish state declared (May 14) and later in 1949 that it was admitted to the United Nations (May11). Sixty-three years have passed, and today there is not a single embassy in Israel’s capital. Earlier this month, the 44th...

BARACK Obama will make his first official visit to Australia as president next month as part of a planned trip to Indonesia and the Pacific island of Guam. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed the trip today, saying the President's visit was an important part of his efforts to broaden and strengthen partnerships necessary to advance US security and prosperity. Mr Gibbs said that while in Australia, Mr Obama would commemorate the 70th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between the US and Australia. The President also looked forward to holding discussions with Kevin Rudd on issues including the economic...

Pyongyang, February 12 (kcna) -- leader kim jong il, general secretary of the workers' party of korea and chairman of the national defence commission of the democratic people's republic of korea, received a congratulatory message and gifts from vladimir vladimirovich putin, president of the russian federation. a ceremony of conveying the message and gifts took place at the russian embassy here on Feb. 12. kim jong il was present there jo myong rok, director of the general political department of the korean people's army, kim yong chun, chief of the kpa general staff, kim il chol, minister of the people's...