Thompson Playa Del Carmen, which will open in Riviera Maya this fall, has named Julian Smaldoni as its General Manager.

Melia Hotels and Resorts has named Dimitris Kosvogiannis as general manager of its soon-to-open Melia Braco Village resort in Jamaica. The 226-room, colonial-design resort is slated to open in December.

Pope Francis travels to Havana, on Saturday at the start of his ten day visit to Cuba, the United States and the United Nations in New York. The first part of that pastoral journey will take him to the Cuban capital and then on to the cities of Holguin and Santiago de Cuba on the south-eastern tip of the island, where he’ll rededicate the Caribbean country to Our Lady of Charity of ‘El Cobre’.

Pope Francis warmly greeted the Cuban people during Wednesday's general audience at the Vatican, while referring to the visit he will pay to the island starting from Saturday, September 19.

The Archbishop of Boston is heading to Cuba to join Pope Francis in an historic visit. Cardinal Sean O'Malley and a group of Catholics from Boston will join the pontiff as he tours the island.

The air was choked with smoke from incense and cigars while the faithful sipped sugarcane liquor from a gourd at the altar and spat mist over the crowd.