Cuban shake-up claims key figures
Cuban leader Raul Castro has announced a major cabinet reshuffle that includes the removal of two of the country's most prominent politicians.
State television said Cabinet Secretary Carlos Lage and Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque are among 10 officials who are stepping down.
It said the move was in line with the president's plan to improve efficiency.
It is the first big reshuffle since Mr Castro took over as president from his ailing older brother, Fidel, last year.
Correspondents say Mr Castro is putting his personal stamp on a government that still bears the mark of his brother.
The major shake-up comes at a time when Cuba and the US have been signalling for the first time in many years that they would welcome the possibility of moving towards improved ties, says the BBC's Americas editor Emilio San Pedro.
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State television said Cabinet Secretary Carlos Lage and Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque are among 10 officials who are stepping down.
It said the move was in line with the president's plan to improve efficiency.
It is the first big reshuffle since Mr Castro took over as president from his ailing older brother, Fidel, last year.
Correspondents say Mr Castro is putting his personal stamp on a government that still bears the mark of his brother.
The major shake-up comes at a time when Cuba and the US have been signalling for the first time in many years that they would welcome the possibility of moving towards improved ties, says the BBC's Americas editor Emilio San Pedro.