US approves Cuba travel bill

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that should lead to the easing of restrictions on Cuban-Americans wanting to travel to Cuba.



The provisions are part of a spending bill and must be passed in the Senate, where it faces some opposition before it becomes law.



The bill will allow Cuban-Americans to visit Cuba once a year instead of once every three years.



The measures announced in the US bill represent a first move in broader efforts to ease the US trade embargo and end travel restrictions for all Americans.



US President Barack Obama has said that the trade embargo against Cuba should remain in place as the United States increases pressure for democratic reforms.



However, under the bill, Cuban Americans should be able to spend $170 a day on the island, more than three times the current daily limit of $50.