Somewhat tangentially, but with possible implications for Cuba travel, the US and Cuba have been in talks the last couple of weeks. Edward Alex Lee of the US Department of State has been representing the USA, and areas of discussion have included more freedom of expression and rights to petition government without fear of reprisal for Cubans, as well as areas of mutual interest - including aviation safety, co-operation in counter-narcotics work, protocols on preparing for oil spills, search-and-rescue work and the re-establishment of postal relations between the two nations. (BBC
here.)
As well, the USA is interested in the treatment and release of Mr. Alan Gross, a US citizen accused of smuggling satellite communications equipment (he was unofficially in country to establish Internet communications for the Cuban Jewish community, but did not have any permits), sentenced to 15 years of prison in Cuba.
Cuba is interested in the release of five Cubans, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez, 22 yrs; Fernando González Llort, 18 yrs.; Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, two life sentences plus 15 years; Ramón Labañino Salazar, 30 yrs.; René González Sehwerert , 15 yrs, freed after 12 years and serving 3 years of formal probation in Miami. These latter were Cuban DGI agents attempting to infiltrate US Cuban-American organizations opposed to the Castro government, and arrested as foreign intelligence agents committing espionage in the US.
This latter issue is a stumbling block to some other possible resolutions.
But it all means there may be possible changes in US - Cuba travel in the near future (after over 50 years of the embargo), and it'll pay to remain aware of progress on these fronts.