The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Amid rising tensions between the two countries, the U.S. State Department accused the Cuban government on social media of using “failed intimidation tactics.”
It also demanded that Havana stop “sending individuals to interfere with the diplomatic work” of U.S. Charge d’Affaires Mike Hammer.
Friction has intensified after U.S. President Donald Trump last week declared Cuba “an unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security and warned of tariffs on any country supplying oil to the communist-run island.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Saturday (31 January), Trump described Cuba as “a failing nation” but said he believed the two sides could reach an agreement.
“I think we’re going to make a deal with Cuba,” he told reporters.
On Saturday (31 January), Hammer posted a video describing alleged harassment after leaving a meeting with local church leaders.
“When I left the parish, a few communists, surely frustrated by how bad the revolution is going, shouted obscenities at me,” he said.
Subsequent videos showed small groups during nighttime blackouts taunting Hammer with shouts of “Assassin!” and “Imperialist!”
Trump has also warned that the U.S. could impose tariffs on countries continuing to supply Cuba with oil, part of a broader campaign to tighten economic pressure on the island.
Reuters has reported that Mexico, now Cuba’s top oil supplier after Venezuelan deliveries fell sharply, is reviewing whether to continue shipments amid concerns over U.S. retaliation.
Cuba is facing worsening fuel shortages, frequent power outages and a deepening economic crisis, drawing renewed international attention to the humanitarian impact of U.S. sanctions and regional energy disruptions.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held an official welcoming cere...
Three people were injured after a gunman opened fire and held students and teachers hostage at a school in Hat Yai district in southern Thailand on We...
This week's Washington meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump is not routine, says geopolitical analyst Ilan Scialo...
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a new strategic partnership agreement in Baku on Tuesday, expanding cooperation on defence, energy security, a...
Uzbekistan is combining renewable energy expansion with sweeping land restoration, installing solar stations in local communities while rehabilitating...
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, marking the start of high-level talks between the two NATO allies.
This week's Washington meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump is not routine, says geopolitical analyst Ilan Scialom, calling it a “high-stakes preventive diplomatic strike” to secure Israel’s strategic priorities ahead of potential Iran talks.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a new strategic partnership agreement in Baku on Tuesday, expanding cooperation on defence, energy security, artificial intelligence and economic ties.
The Philippine foreign ministry on Wednesday (11 February) called on the Chinese Embassy in Manila to adopt a “constructive” tone in its statements, amid an intensifying war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine officials, including senators.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds.
U.S. military forces have seized a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel from the Caribbean Sea, the Pentagon said on Monday.
This week's Washington meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump is not routine, says geopolitical analyst Ilan Scialom, calling it a “high-stakes preventive diplomatic strike” to secure Israel’s strategic priorities ahead of potential Iran talks.
Three people were injured after a gunman opened fire and held students and teachers hostage at a school in Hat Yai district in southern Thailand on Wednesday, police said.
The Philippine foreign ministry on Wednesday (11 February) called on the Chinese Embassy in Manila to adopt a “constructive” tone in its statements, amid an intensifying war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine officials, including senators.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, stunned viewers by publicly admitting he had cheated on his girlfriend and pleaded for another chance during post-race interviews.
Kyiv is preparing to outline a simultaneous return to the ballot box and a public vote on a potential peace settlement, the Financial Times reports. It would mark a pivotal shift in the country's political landscape on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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