Raul Castro to ease economic controls in Cuba

Cuban President Raul Castro has pledged to ease state control of the economy, but has ruled out wide-ranging market reforms.

However he said the role of the state in Cuba would be reduced in some areas, with more workers allowed to be self-employed or to set up small businesses.

Urgent measures would aim to cut the "overloaded" state payroll, he added.

The BBC's Michael Voss reports from Havana.