U.S. Upgrades Malaysia, Cuba in Human Trafficking Report

The U.S. State Department gave Malaysia, Cuba and Saudi Arabia upgrades from the lowest tier in its annual report on modern slavery, raising debate about whether the rankings are swayed by political considerations.

Malaysia’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that’s an Obama administration priority, was contingent on an improved ranking. Last week, the U.S. and Cuba opened embassies in each other’s countries as part of a normalization of relations after a decades-long freeze.