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ByJuliePace The Associated Press WASHINGTON Two days after reopening diplomatic relations with Cuba, Pres- ident Barack Obama said Friday he doesn't expect the effort to bring over- night change on the island, a quick end to the U.S. eco- nomic embargo or the likeli- hood that he will soon visit the communist nation. "This is still a regime that oppresses its people," Obama said at a year-end news conference two days after the historic announce- ment that he was moving to end the half century of Cold War acrimony with Havana. He said he hopes to visit Cuba at some point in his life but that he is not at the stage yet of going or hosting Cuban President Raul Castro in Washington. Instead, Obama said the change in policy should give the U.S. a greater opportu- nity to have influence on Cuba and reflects his belief that 50 years of isolation haven't worked. He said the embargo should end but he didn't anticipate it soon. "We will be in a position to respond to whatever ac- tion they take the same way we do with a whole range of countries around the world when they do things that we think are wrong," Obama said. "There may be carrots as well as sticks that we can then apply." On another subject of what the U.S. sees as for- eign wrongdoing, Obama was asked about the recent hack of Sony Pictures En- tertainment and the compa- ny's decision not to send out a new movie that North Ko- rea was angrily protesting. Speaking shortly af- ter the FBI said North Ko- rea was behind the hack, Obama said he felt Sony "made a mistake" in shelv- ing the satirical film about a plot to assassinate North Korea's leader. He said the U.S. would respond to North Korea's action "in a place and manner and time that we choose." Cuba and North Korea were just two issues that Obama addressed con- cerning a year he saw as basically positive. In fact he declared 2014 "a break- through year for America," putting aside the fits and starts of the past 12 months to focus on achievements and the prospect of compro- mise with his political foes who are taking control of Congress. "My presidency is enter- ing the fourth quarter. In- teresting stuff happens in the fourth quarter," Obama said before leaving on a two-week vacation to Ha- waii. The news conference came at the end of what Obama titled his "Year of Action," one in which Con- gress failed to take up most of his agenda and he turned to looking for ways to act on his own. Republicans cried foul at that tactic, accusing Obama of overstepping his authority, and voters didn't seem to think much of the strategy, either, giving the president low marks in pub- lic opinion polls. On Friday, the presi- dent acknowledged many unanticipated crises in the past year but said he enters 2015 with renewed confidence that "America is making strides where it counts." He said he intends to make sure the economy, government and justice system work for everyone. "I am energized," Obama declared, trying to shake off last month's midterm elections that brought crushing losses for his party. He ticked off the year's improvements, citing lower unemployment and a rising number of Americans cov- ered by health insurance and a historic diplomatic opening with Cuba. On climate change, the touted his own executive action and a Chinese agreement to combat global warming. He also noted that on Fri- day the Treasury Depart- ment announced it had sold the last investment related to the Wall Street and auto bailouts. And he said America's combat mis- sion in Afghanistan would soon be over. "Take any metric that you want, America's resur- gence is real. We are better off," Obama said. WHITE HOUSE Obama:Noquickend to embargo on Cuba PABLOMARTINEZMONSIVAIS —THEASSOCIATEDPRESS President Barack Obama, followed by White House press secretary John Earnest, arrives for a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Friday. By Anne-Marie Garcia The Associated Press HAVANA Everyone in Cuba is talking about the abrupt turn in relations with the United States, with one notable excep- tion: Fidel Castro. The larger-than-life re- tired leader of Cuba so far has made no public com- ment about the announce- ment that the U.S. will re- store diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of hostility. His brother, Pres- ident Raul Castro, broke the news to the nation in a TV address and may ap- pear again at the Cuban National Assembly, which started one of its twice-an- nual sessions on Friday. For years after he left of- fice in 2006 due to illness, Fidel Castro penned edi- torials that dutifully were printed in all official me- dia and read verbatim on state TV newscasts. Last year, he said he also was retiring as a columnist, but has since published occa- sional opinion pieces to comment on world events. The elder Castro rarely appears in public these days. He last was seen on Jan. 8 when he attended an art exhibition in Ha- vana. In August, Venezue- lan President Nicolas Mad- uro said he met with him and showed photos of their encounter. His last written commentary, about Cuba's efforts to fight Ebola, was in October. It's not entirely unusual that Castro, 88, has yet to weigh in on this week's news. He waited six days before commenting last year on the death Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president who was a close friend and ally. Little information about Castro is officially dis- closed, including where he lives. But as before, his si- lence causes many to won- der. "I think that Fidel is a little bit older and his ac- tivities are very limited, that's for certain," said Ma- ria Teresa Ojito, a 66-year- old language teacher. But, she said, "I'm not very worried because Raul is the one who's running the country. ... Really, the one who has to make de- cisions these days and en- ter into dialogue is Raul, not Fidel." Pedro Pablo Rodriguez who, like Castro, is re- tired, also points to his age. "He's older and he's likely very excited about these things," the 80-year- old said. "Possibly, we just have to wait until he recov- ers, but I'm sure he will be fine because he's a strong man." CASTRO No word yet from Fidel amid historic shi ALEX CASTRO — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Fidel Castro looks at a sculpture of himself, a gi from China's President Xi Jinping in Havana, Cuba. Thank you! PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. By Kristen Gelineau The Associated Press SYDNEY An Australian woman was arrested for murder in the killings of eight children, seven of whom are believed to be her own, police said Sat- urday. The children were found dead inside the wom- an's home. The 37-year-old woman, who is recovering in a hos- pital from stab wounds, was under guard and speaking with police, Queensland Police Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said. She has not yet been formally charged. The woman is thought to be the mother of seven of the children, Asnicar said. The eighth is believed to be her niece. Police haven't said how the children died. But Asni- car said they're examining several knives in the home that may have been the weapon used to kill them. The children ranged in age from 18 months to 14 years, Asnicar said. Queensland police were called to the home in the Cairns suburb of Manoora on Friday morning after re- ceiving a report of a woman with serious injuries. When they got to the house, they found the bodies of the chil- dren. The woman, whose name has not been released, was also found in the home with the children, suffering from stab wounds to the chest. Asnicar said she is lucid and talking to police. "We're not looking for anybody else — we're com- fortable that the commu- nity at large is safe," Asni- car said. "The news out of Cairns is heartbreaking," Prime Minister Tony Ab- bott said in a statement. "All parents would feel a gut-wrenching sadness at what has happened. This is an unspeakable crime. These are trying days for our country." The tragedy comes as Australia is still reeling from the shock of a deadly siege in a Sydney cafe. On Monday, a gunman burst into the cafe in the heart of the city and took 18 people hostage. Two hostages were dead along with the gun- man after police stormed in 16 hours later in a bid to end the siege. AUSTRALIA Woman arrested in deaths of 8 kids By Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Army has finished its investi- gation into how and why Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl disappeared from his base in Afghanistan and leaders were briefing Defense Sec- retary Chuck Hagel this af- ternoon, officials said Fri- day. Details about the probe's conclusion have been closely held. The report could in- clude recommendations on whether Bergdahl should be charged with any crim- inal violations or forced to leave the Army. Potential charges could be desertion or leaving his post and be- ing "absent without leave," or AWOL. The final dispo- sition will also determine whether Bergdahl gets as much as $300,000 in back pay and other benefits. Officials said Army Sec- retary John McHugh could send the case to a military commander who would de- cide whether it should go before a court martial and what, if any, charges would be filed against Bergdahl. Bergdahl disappeared on June 30, 2009, report- edly walking away from his unit after expressing mis- givings about the U.S. mil- itary's role — as well as his own — in Afghanistan. He was captured by the Taliban and held by members of the Haqqani network, an insur- gent group tied to the Tal- iban that operates both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. On May 31, Bergdahl was handed over to U.S. spe- cial forces in Afghanistan as part of an exchange for five top Taliban command- ers who were imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After spending about two weeks recuperating at a U.S. military hospital in Ger- many, Bergdahl was sent to Brooke Army Medical Cen- ter at Fort Sam Houston on June 13. He is now doing ad- ministrative duties at the base, awaiting the conclu- sion of the case. An initial U.S. military investigation in 2009 con- cluded that Bergdahl delib- erately walked away, based on evidence available at the time. Since his release, some former soldiers who served with him have la- beled him a deserter and said he should be held ac- countable for leaving his post. Others have suggested that troops were put in dan- ger, and even killed, as they tried to find Bergdahl. But there are also those who contend that even if Bergdahl deliberately walked away, his five years in captivity were more than enough punishment for the soldier. Shortly after Bergdahl was released, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chair- man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, left open the possibil- ity that an Army investiga- tion could result in deser- tion or other charges. Maj. Gen. Kenneth R. Dahl was tasked to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the matter, and spent months interviewing unit members and commanders, and meeting with Bergdahl and his attorney, Eugene Fi- dell, a military justice ex- pert who is also a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School. 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