Cuba

Dozens dead as Hurricane Melissa wreaks havoc across Cuba and Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa left dozens dead and widespread destruction across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, where roofless homes, toppled utility poles and water-logged furniture dominated the landscape Wednesday. A landslide blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz in Jamaica's St. Elizabeth parish, where the streets were reduced to mud pits. Residents swept water from homes as they tried to salvage belongings. Wind ripped off part of the roof at a high school that serves as a public shelter. I never see anything like this before in all my years living here, resident Jennifer Small said. Melissa made landfall Tuesday in Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with top winds of 185 mph (295 kph), one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, before weakening and moving on to Cuba, but even countries outside the direct path of the massive storm felt its devastating effects. At least 40 people have died across Haiti, Steven Aristil with Haiti's Civil Protection Agency told The Associated Pres

Caribbean nations brace for Hurricane Melissa as it upgrades to category 4

As per NYT, Southwest Haiti and portions of Jamaica were bracing for catastrophic flash flooding and landslides from the intense and fast-developing hurricane, which has already killed four people

Another full blackout hits Cuba as island's energy crisis worsens

A total blackout hit Cuba on Wednesday, the latest in a series of outages blamed on ageing infrastructure and fuel shortages at power plants. It was the second island-wide outage this year, with three other blackouts reported late last year. The Ministry of Energy and Mines said on social platform X that the latest outage could be tied to a malfunction at one of Cuba's biggest thermoelectric plants. Argelio Abad, the ministry's vice minister, said on state TV that the grid shut down after an apparently erroneous message warning of overheating disconnected the thermoelectric plant. He added that officials immediately began to build a type of microsystem to deliver electricity to infrastructure that provides basic services. The ministry said crews were working to restore power to the island of roughly 10 million people, with electricity returning to hospitals, food production plants and other high-priority businesses. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero made an appearance at Cuba's state-

PM Modi meets Cuban President, discusses pharma, UPI at Brics Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez on Sunday discussed ways to bolster bilateral ties across key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, traditional medicine and digital public infrastructure during a meeting on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit. According to an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both leaders also exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in areas including Ayurveda, Unified Payment Interface (UPI), disaster management, and capacity building. The two leaders agreed to work on issues of concern to the global South, including in the areas of health, pandemics and climate change. They appreciated the cooperation between the two countries in the multilateral arena, the statement added. "PM Narendra Modi met with President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez of Cuba on the sidelines of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. He posted, .

Trump orders review of US-Cuba policy, seeks tougher sanctions in 30 days

President Donald Trump has instructed his top Cabinet officials to review the US policy toward Cuba, ordering them to examine current sanctions and come up with ways to toughen them within 30 days. In a memo on Monday, Trump said the reviews should focus on Cuba's treatment of dissidents, its policies directed at dissidents and restricting financial transactions that disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people". In one potential significant change, the order said the US should look for ways to shut down all tourism to the island and to restrict educational tours to groups that are organised and run only by American citizens. The move is not a surprise given that Trump has previously said he plans to rescind the easing of sanctions and other penalties in Cuba that were instituted during the terms of former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In the days before leaving office, Biden mov

Trump's immigration crackdown unnerves Cubans shielded from deportation

Immigration officials said Tomas Hernandez worked in high-level posts for Cuba's foreign intelligence agency for decades before migrating to the US to pursue the American dream. The 71-year-old was detained by federal agents outside his Miami-area home in March and accused of hiding his ties to Cuba's Communist Party when he obtained permanent residency. Cuban-Americans in South Florida have long clamoured for a firmer hand with Havana and the recent apprehensions of Hernandez and several other former Cuban officials for deportation have been extremely popular among the politically powerful exile community. It's a political gift to Cuban-American hardliners, said Eduardo Gamarra, a Latin American expert at Florida International University. But many Cubans fear they could be next on Trump's list, he said, and some in the community see it as a betrayal. Some pleased among Trump fans, others worried While President Donald Trump's mass deportation pledge has frightened migrants from m

Cuba suffers another massive power outage, millions left in in dark

Cuba suffered a massive power outage Friday night affecting Havana and the country's provinces that left millions in the dark. Cuba's Ministry of Energy and Mines said at around 8:15 pm local time an outage at the Diezmero substation on the outskirts of Havana had caused a significant loss of generation in western Cuba and, with it, the failure of the National Electric System. The ministry said on its account on the social platform X that it is working on the recovery process. The streets of Havana were dark and empty, with light coming only from the windows of hotels that had generators. Internet service was affected. People in provinces as far away as Guantanamo, Artemisa, Santiago de Cuba, and Santa Clara reported experiencing blackouts with just flickers of light. Earlier, the Electric Union, the state agency that regulates the sector, said in its daily report that peak-hour demand would be around 3,250 megawatts and the deficit would reach around 1,380 megawatts, meaning 42%

'Mad about Cuba': Exploring the unique connection between Cuba and Kerala

Cuba is a metaphor in Kerala for communist values, but there is another, lesser-known reason for Malayalis to feel a special affinity for Fidel Castro

Prez Biden moves to lift state sponsor of terrorism designation for Cuba

The Biden administration on Tuesday is notifying Congress of its intent to lift the US designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House announced, as part of a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church to free political prisoners on the island. Senior US administration officials, who previewed the announcement on the condition of anonymity, said "many dozens" of political prisoners and others considered by the US to be unjustly detained would be released by the end of the Biden administration at noon on January 20. The US would also ease some economic pressure on Cuba, as well as a 2017 memorandum issued by then-president Donald Trump toughening US posture toward Cuba. The determination by the outgoing one-term Democrat is likely to be reversed as early as next week after Trump, the Republican who is now president-elect, takes office and Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio assumes the position of America's top diplomat. Rubio, whose family left Cuba in the 19

Millions in Cuba remain in dark after blackout as national grid collapses

Cuba blames the crisis on US sanctions, which complicate financial transactions and the purchase of fuel

Cuba hit by 6.8 magnitude earthquake after hurricanes and power blackouts

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling. The epicentre of the quake was located approximately 25 miles (40 km) south of Bartolom Mas, Cuba, according to a report by the United States Geological Survey. The rumbling was felt across the eastern stretch of Cuba, including in bigger cities like Santiago de Cuba. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Residents in Santiago, Cuba's second largest city, were left shaken on Sunday. Yolanda Tabo, 76, said people in the city flocked to the streets and were still nervously sitting in their doorways. She said she felt at least two aftershocks following the quake, but that among friends and family she hadn't heard of any damages. You had to see how everything was moving, the walls, everything," she told The Associated Press. The earthquake comes during another tough stretch for Cuba. On Wednesday, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripp

Rafael makes landfall in Cuba as Category 3 hurricane, power out on island

Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 hurricane, shortly after powerful winds knocked out the country's power grid. Forecasters warned Rafael could bring life-threatening storm surges, winds and flash floods to western swaths of the island after it knocked out power and dumped rain on the Cayman Islands and Jamaica the day before. The storm was located 65 kilometres south-southwest of Havana on Wednesday. It had maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and was moving northwest at 22 kph, according to the National Hurricane Centre. The storm is bad news for Cuba, which is struggling with devastating blackouts while recovering from another hurricane two weeks ago that killed at least six people in the eastern part of the island. On Wednesday, the Cuban government issued an alert for the incoming storm while crews in Havana worked to fortify buildings and clear scraps from seaside areas in anticipation of flooding. Classes and public transport were ..

Tropical storm Rafael crosses Jamaica as Cuba prepares for hurricane hit

Tropical Storm Rafael chugged past western Jamaica on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it headed toward Cuba. The storm was located 170 kilometres east of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday after passing by Jamaica, where little damage was reported. It was picking up speed with maximum sustained winds of 110 kph and was moving northwest at 24 kph, according to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami. The centre said it expected steady to rapid intensification over the next 24 hours. It was expected to pass over or by the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night and make landfall in western Cuba on Wednesday. "Rafael is expected to become a hurricane as it passes near the Cayman Islands with further strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba," the centre said. The US State Department issued an advisory for Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, offering departure flights to non-essential staff and American citizens, and advising others to reconsider travel to Cuba

Tropical storm Rafael forms in Caribbean, could hit Cuba as hurricane

Tropical Storm Rafael formed Monday in the Caribbean and will bring heavy rain to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before strengthening into a hurricane and likely hitting Cuba, forecasters said. Later in the week, it also is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Florida and portions of the US Southeast, according to the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Jamaica, and a hurricane watch was in effect for the Cayman Islands and for parts of Cuba including the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth. A tropical storm watch was issued for Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, and Las Tunas in Cuba. A tropical storm watch also was issued for the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge, and for the Dry Tortugas. The storm was located about 245 kilometres south of Kingston, Jamaica. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 kph while .

Cubans struggle as power not fully restored after days of blackout

Many Cubans were waiting in anguish on Sunday as electricity on much of the island has yet to be totally restored after days of blackout. Some neighbourhoods had electricity restored in Cuba's capital, where 2 million people live, but most of Havana remained dark. The impact of the blackout goes beyond lighting, as services like water supply also depend on electricity to run pumps. People resorted to cooking with improvised wood stoves on the streets before the food went bad in refrigerators. In tears, Ylenis de la Caridad Napoles, mother of a 7-year-old girl, says she is reaching a point of desperation. The failure of the Antonio Guiteras plant on Friday, which caused the collapse of the island's whole system, was just the latest in a series of problems with energy distribution in a country where electricity has been restricted and rotated to different regions at different times of the day. People lined up for hours on Sunday morning to buy bread in the few bakeries that could ..

After Cuba, Russian ships dock in Venezuela for 'show the flag' exercises

Two Russian naval ships docked Tuesday in the Venezuelan port of La Guaira after exercises in the Atlantic Ocean that Moscow said were to show the flag in remote, important regions, and an initial stopover in Cuba. The frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the oil tanker Akademik Pashin are part of Russia's Northern Fleet, which since May 17 has been carrying out tasks that include guaranteeing the Russian naval presence in remote areas of the oceans, Russian news agency Tass cited Russia's Ministry of Defence as saying. The stopover was to last several days and highlight the close ties between Moscow and Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro's government. Like his predecessor, the late President Hugo Chvez, Maduro has forged a close relationship with Russia. The visit comes before Maduro seeks reelection in July 28 elections. Venezuelan authorities have not reported the arrival of the Russian vessels, which could barely be seen from afar docked at La Guaira, but Associated Press journalists s

China has developed multiple spy facilities in Cuba: US think tank

China has developed multiple spy facilities in Cuba, less than 100 miles from Florida, according to a US think-tank report. China has historically lacked access to ground stations in North America. Accessing installations in Cuba could help close that gap, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think-tank, said in a report which gives satellite images from the region. Cuban facilities would also provide the ability to monitor radio traffic and potentially intercept data delivered by US satellites as they pass over highly sensitive military sites across the southern United States, CSIS said. Florida alone is home to the major space-launch complex at Cape Canaveral, the headquarters of both the US Southern Command and Central Command, and multiple submarine and other bases, it added. Pentagon Press Secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder, at a news conference, said China had completed an upgrade of its facilities in Cuba in 2019. "We know that the PRC is going to continue to tr

Fleet of Russian warships leaves Havana's port after five-day visit to Cuba

A fleet of Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, left Havana's port on Monday after a five-day visit to Cuba following planned military drills in the Atlantic Ocean. The exercise has been seen by some as a show of strength by Moscow against the backdrop of tensions as US and other Western nations support Kyiv in Russia's war on Ukraine. The submarine, a frigate, an oil tanker and a rescue tug slowly departed from the port on Monday morning. It's unclear what the fleet's next destination is or where it will dock next in the Caribbean, although US officials said days ago that the vessels could possibly also stop in Venezuela. Officials with the Biden administration said last week that they were monitoring the vessels and confirmed that they did not pose a threat to the region or indicate a transfer of missiles. Still, the United States docked a submarine, the USS Helena, at its Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. The American naval base, located in the southeastern

Kerala CM holds discussions about health, literature with Cuban authorities

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is on a two-day trip to Cuba, met top officials of the Latin American country on Friday and held discussions on cooperation in various key sectors. During his separate meetings with Cuban deputy minister of Public Health, Tania Margarita Cruz and Havana Governor, Yanet Hernndez Prez, in the capital of the Latin American country, the two sides held discussions on cooperation in Ayurveda, the public health sector, literature, and housing, among others. A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Cruz expressed interest in collaborating with Kerala's health sector, and Perez sought cooperation in various sectors like science and sports. The Governor sought Kerala's cooperation in urban affairs, housing, and agriculture, and the meeting also decided to create an opportunity to engage the literary communities in both Havana and Kerala and ensure participation in the international film and book festivals. Discussions regarding

China has been operating a spy base in Cuba since at least 2019: US

China has been operating a spy base in Cuba since at least 2019, part of a global effort by Beijing to upgrade its intelligence-gathering capabilities, according to a Biden administration official. The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the US intelligence community has been aware of China's spying from Cuba and a larger effort to set up intelligence-gathering operations around the globe for some time. The Biden administration has stepped up efforts to thwart the Chinese push to expand its spying operations and believes it has made some progress through diplomacy and other unspecified action, according to the official, who was familiar with US intelligence on the matter. The existence of the Chinese spy base was confirmed after The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that China and Cuba had reached an agreement in principle to build an electronic eavesdropping station on the island. The Journal reported that China