More than 2,500 freed in Cuba amnesty: rights group

HAVANA (Reuters) – More than 2,500 Cuban prisoners have been released in recent days under a New Year’s amnesty announced before a visit next spring by Pope Benedict XVI, a local human rights group said on Tuesday. Cuban President Raul Castro said last Friday that the ruling Council of State had granted amnesty to more than 2,900 common prisoners. Castro said the amnesty was a “humanitarian …