U.S. inflation rises in June as tariffs begin to bite
U.S. consumer prices rose at their fastest pace in five months in June, signaling the early impact of tariffs on inflation. However, subdued demand an...
Cuba remained largely without power on Saturday morning after the island´s grid collapsed the night before, knocking out electricity for 10 million people and raising fresh questions about the viability of its antiquated generating system.
At sunrise, the island's grid operator UNE said it was generating only a trickle of electricity - around 225 MW, or less than 10% of total demand, enough to cover some vital services like hospitals, water supply and food production centers.
Officials said they had begun the process of firing up the country's decades-old generation plants, but gave no timeline for restoring service.
Cuba´s grid failed Friday evening around 8:15 p.m. (0015 GMT) after an aging component of a transmission line at a substation in Havana shorted, beginning a chain reaction that completely shut down power generation across the island, UNE officials said.
The grid collapse follows a string of nationwide blackouts late last year that plunged Cuba's frail power generating system into near-total disarray, stressed by fuel shortages, natural disaster and economic crisis.
Most Cubans outside the capital Havana have already been living for months with rolling blackouts that peaked at 20 hours a day in recent weeks.
Havana was still largely without electricity on Saturday morning. Light traffic navigated intersections with no functioning stoplights and cellular internet was weak or non-existent in some areas.
Abel Bonne chatted with friends on Havana's Malecon waterfront boulevard early Saturday, taking in the fresh sea breeze after a stuffy night without power.
"Right now, no one knows when the power will come back on," he said. "This is the first time this had happened this year, but last year it happened three times."
Severe shortages of food, medicine and water have made life increasingly unbearable for many Cubans, and people have been fleeing the island in recent years in record-breaking numbers.
Cuba blames its economic woes on a Cold War-era U.S. trade embargo, a web of laws and regulations that complicate financial transactions and the acquisition of essentials like fuel and spare parts.
A grid official on Saturday morning said Cuba had been unable to update antiquated transmission and generation components because of the restrictions.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently tightened sanctions on the island's communist-run government, vowing to restore a "tough" policy toward the long-time U.S. foe.
Havana resident Yunior Reyes, a bike taxi driver, was back on the job Saturday morning despite the blackout, fretting that his food reserves might spoil in the day's heat.
“We're all in the same situation," he said. "It's a lot of work."
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
Authorities in North Carolina are investigating three potential storm-related deaths linked to severe flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal, officials said Tuesday.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 10th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Two student pilots were killed when two single-engine training aircraft collided mid-air in southern Manitoba, Canadian authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is warning that major economies like Brazil, China, and India could face serious consequences if they continue trading with Russia, as the U.S. steps up pressure with fresh sanctions and weapons support for Ukraine.
The American leader stated that if an agreement between Russia and Ukraine is not achieved within that timeframe, "it will be very bad."
The European Union did not reach agreement on its 18th sanctions package against Russia on Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed following a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels.
Russia, Iran, and China are increasingly involved in life-threatening activities on British soil—including attacks and kidnappings—often carried out by criminal networks or, in some cases, by children, according to two senior UK counterterrorism officials.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, affirming that both countries will keep communication channels open and explore cooperation opportunities despite ongoing strategic rivalry in the Indo-Pacific region.
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