Odds and ends

• The State Department says the EU will be announcing “benchmarks” by which it will assess its dialogue with Cuba. AFP story here, Cuban Colada story here, with link to the State Department spokesman’s comments. And Assistant Secretary of State Tom Shannon says the United States is focused on political change in Cuba, while Europe concentrates more on economic reform.

• Life of the party: the Chinese news agency reports that the secretary of the Chinese Communist Party’s “Central Commission for Discipline Inspection” has started a visit to Cuba. Xinhua also issues a summary of Cuban-Chinese relations.

• On Cuban emigration: the St. Petersburg Times documents “a steady stream of young stars” from many fields leaving the island, and the Arizona Republic looks at a new Cuban community in Phoenix.

• Uruguay’s President leaves Cuba, having signed 14 economic cooperation agreements (AP).