U.S. contractor Alan Gross is welcomed with a hug after he arrived at an Air Force base in Maryland on Wednesday, December 17. Gross, held in Cuban custody since 2009, was freed as part of a landmark deal with Cuba that paves the way for a major overhaul in U.S. policy toward the island. "It's time for a new approach," said President Barack Obama, who said he's instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to begin discussions with Cuba to re-establish diplomatic relations.