U.S. Senate approved a partial lifting of sanctions against Cuba.

U.S. Senate approved a bill lifting restrictions on the sale to Cuba of food and medicines, as well as to facilitate the travel of U.S. citizens on the island, reported AFP on 10 March.
In particular, now U.S. citizens who have close relatives in Cuba will be able to visit them more than once in three years, as before, and every year. In addition, the very notion of "close relatives" would be expanded and would include in addition to parents, children, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and even nephews, cousins and sisters, and tet dyad. In addition, during visits to Cuba, they could spend up to 179 dollars a day.
These measures include, as part of the bill on the financing of government activities in the 2009 fiscal year. Previously, the document has already received the support of the House of Representatives, and now for the entry into force it must be signed by U.S. President Barack Obama.
U.S. imposed sanctions against Cuba in 1962. Since 1981, the UN General Assembly calls on the United States annually with a requirement to lift the sanctions, but so far Washington has ignored this treatment. In June 2008, Foreign Ministers from EU member states agreed to lift economic restrictions imposed against Cuba in 2003.