IN BRIEF: Cuba, Virginia port authority sign MOU

Cuba's national port authority APNC and the port authority of the US state of Virginia have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote technical cooperation and foment commercial ties.

Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe, while on an official visit to the Caribbean island, toured port installations at Mariel as well as the adjacent special economic zone, known as ZEDM. He called for the lifting of the US trade embargo and for normalized relations between the two countries, Cuba's foreign ministry said in a release.

ZEDM, which already houses eight firms, offers tax and customs benefits for foreign and domestic companies, yet other rigid policies, such as on labor, remain under the control of a state-run company, news agency Reuters has reported.

Pictured: Governor McAuliffe (center) tours Mariel (CREDIT: AFP)