
Ever since
he assumed power from his brother Fidel last year, Raul Castro, has rolled out some symbolic economic efforts that are changing the face of Cuba. The latest move allows Cubans to
build their own homes using private money. It may sound like a basic right, but it's a big step for the country and aims to alleviate a housing shortage that was made worse with last year's devastating hurricane, which wrecked more than 1 million homes.

Cell Phones Become More Affordable For Cubans In a country where the average income is only $20 a month and personal computers cost around $800, access to technology for Cubans is something that's often restricted to the rich. Recently, Cuba's government owned telephone service provider Etecsa, decreased the cost of cell phone activation from $120 to about $65, almost a 50 percent decrease.

Two prominent Communist dissidents in Cuba delivered a letter to the US Interests Section in Havana yesterday, addressed to President Bush. Marta Beatriz Roque and Vladimiro Roca
pleaded with Bush to ease the American ban on travel and money transfers to Cuba, after Hurricane Gustav left the country's buildings and electricity infrastructure damaged and many people homeless.
The letter explained:
Knowing how intransigent the Cuban government is about accepting help from your country .