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Cuba’s solar boost blooms under the oil embargo
1 day ago•Source: The Economist
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Cuba reports four killed as Florida-registered speedboat is intercepted near its shores
Cuban authorities say four people on a Florida-registered speedboat were killed after the vessel entered Cuban waters near Villa Clara; six others were wounded and survivors were taken into custody. The Interior Ministry says those on board were Cuban residents of the US and had planned an infiltration for terrorist purposes, with an arrest linked to the operation. The US is investigating, as the incident amplifies existing Cuba–US tensions amid sanctions and regional strain.
25.595 min•2 days ago
Cuba reports four dead after border clash with U.S. speedboat
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Peru's young president Jose Jeri ousted after four months amid China-linked meetings
Jose Jeri, 39, Peru's president for four months, was ousted by Congress amid a scandal over undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman, highlighting Peru's ongoing political volatility ahead of April elections.
Super Bowl 2026: A Cultural Barometer of America
Super Bowl 2026 emerged as a cultural barometer rather than a pure sports spectacle, with Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga delivering a diverse halftime show, Green Day opting for a non-political set, record ad spending centered on AI-themed campaigns (Anthropic and Amazon), and a national conversation on immigration, energy, and tech anxiety shaping the American zeitgeist.
Nicaragua ends visa-free transit for Cubans amid U.S. pressure
Nicaragua has ended visa-free entry for Cuban citizens, cutting a route that had allowed thousands of Cubans to transit through Nicaragua on their way to the United States, in what officials and analysts describe as a response to U.S. pressure.
Venezuela mulls amnesty for prisoners, to transform Helicoide into community center
Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez announced a proposed amnesty law for hundreds of prisoners and said Helicoide, in Caracas, will be converted into a sports and social-services center, a move rights groups have long pressed for as authorities release detainees; the law would cover cases from 1999 to present but exclude killings or serious rights abuses, with ongoing questions over release numbers and who has actually been freed.
Trump labels Minneapolis shooting victim an agitator amid immigration operation backlash
President Trump called the Minneapolis shooting victim an agitator and perhaps an insurrectionist after footage emerged of him confronting federal officers during an immigration operation, amplifying backlash over federal raids and prompting calls for de-escalation amid broader protests and other related deaths.
American Airlines eyes Venezuela routes as US opens airspace
American Airlines said it plans to resume daily service to Venezuela pending government approval and security assessments, a move tied to the Trump administration’s push to lift airspace restrictions; the FAA will need to conduct route and safety reviews, and flights are not expected to resume for several months amid broader U.S.-Venezuela tensions.
Colombia plane crash claims 15 lives, including a lawmaker and campaign candidate
A Satena Beechcraft 1900 plane crashed in northeast Colombia shortly after departing Cucuta for Ocana, killing all 15 people aboard, including local lawmaker Diogenes Quintero and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo. Authorities have not disclosed a cause, the emergency beacon was not activated, and the crash site is in a mountainous coca-growing region where armed groups operate.
Lula and Trump tee up Washington visit after call on Venezuela and a peace board
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone and agreed to visit Washington soon, as they discussed Venezuela, Trump’s proposed Board of Peace and efforts to curb organized crime; Lula urged regional stability and Palestinian representation on the board.
Trump's Donroe Doctrine: Territorial ambitions fuel culture wars in the Americas
France24 frames Trump’s expansionist rhetoric as a break with postwar norms, reviving imperial-era ambitions from Greenland to the Western Hemisphere and reframing the Monroe Doctrine as a muscular Donroe Doctrine. The piece cites moves on Diego Garcia, the Panama Canal, and Venezuela as part of a broader effort to claim resources and project power, warns historians of a return to colonial-style land grabs, and notes domestic support is tepid amid international pushback.
Pentagon mobilizes 1,500 troops as Minnesota braces for ICE protests
The Pentagon placed about 1,500 active-duty troops on prepare-to-deploy orders for a possible deployment to Minnesota amid escalating protests against ICE following a fatal shooting, with President Trump threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act.