HAVANA (AP) — Yet another revolutionary tradition has been broken in Cuba: A lawmaker voted "no" in parliament.

MIAMI (AP) — Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule of Cuba, has died at age 90.

New details about the events of Sept. 11, 2014, emerged Friday on the second day of Kathryn Knott's gay-bashing trial, a day marked by frequent interruptions and lengthy breaks.  

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is forging ahead with plans to tour Cuba next week despite objections from some members of the South Florida LGBT community.

DENVER -- Republicans came into this presidential campaign with painful memories of how, in the last one, Democrats blasted Mitt Romney's tax plan as a giveaway to the rich. They've heard a new wing of conservative intellectuals urge them to focus on tax cuts to working-class Americans rather than the wealthy.

The head of a Russian neo-Nazi group that’s accused of torturing LGBT youth, fled to Cuba last month but was arrested in the Caribbean country on Sunday, Russia’s official news agency RIA Novosti reports.

(WB) An immigration judge on Monday granted asylum to a lesbian woman from Cuba who has been in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for 10 months.

Norm Kent underscores some good points in his Dec 23rd Publisher's column, "Cuba Libre.”

(WB) The daughter of Cuban President Raúl Castro on Saturday led a march through the Cuban capital that commemorated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.

The daughter of Cuban President Raúl Castro on Saturday said hate crimes remain a problem in countries that have extended marriage rights to same-sex couples.

President Obama’s decision to end the “wet foot, dry foot” policy is not sitting well in Republican circles.

In my mind, Phil Ochs was one of the greatest folk singers ever to play the American stage. In the 1960’s, his music and songwriting was as spectacular as Bob Dylan’s. Four decades after his passing, I still remember the magical lyrics from one of his songs:

This is not the world I bargained for. You either. But don't give up. Don't ever give up. I mean, it's the holiday season, and we should be celebrating.

Today is a sad day for Freedom. It is a sad day for the Cuban Americans of the United States of America and the Cuban people still on the Island. Today, a slap in the face is given to all Cubans and Cuban Americans. The raising of our very own flag – a symbol of Freedom to all the world will be raised in a Country that not only oppresses its people, but hates Freedom. As we are witness to this today, let’s remember that Cuba is still under communist rule, bringing nothing but oppression and pain to the Cuban people. Nothing has changed and nothing will change unless the Cuban Government starts to realize that Freedom is essential and that the Cuban people deserve to be treated as equal human beings and have open and fair elections.

(WB) Juan Guerrero González eagerly awaits his partner’s call each day, although he is not sure if it will happen, much less at what time. And he won’t be able to call back if he misses it.