Obama calls for updated policies toward Cuba

US President Barack Obama on Friday called for updated policies toward Cuba in light of changing circumstances. "We have to be creative, and we have to be thoughtful, and we have to continue to update our policies," the president said at a fundraising event in Miami, Florida. "Keep in mind that when Castro came to power, I was just born," he said. "So the notion that the same policies that we put in place in 1961 would somehow still be as effective as they are today in the age of the Internet and Google and world travel doesn't make sense." Washington adopted a hostile attitude toward Cuba following its 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro. The United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba in January 1961 and slapped a sweeping economic and trade embargo on the country the next year. The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution for the 22nd year in a row urging the U.S. to end its long-running blockade on Cuba. The Obama administration, during its first term, eased limits on remittances and travel to Cuba. Cuban leader Raul Castro also expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with the U.S. without preconditions. Washington and Havana have resumed bilateral migration talks and are exploring the possibility of re-establishing direct mail service after a 50-year ban.