International

Death toll rises to seven after the passage of tropical storm Oscar in Cuba

The Cuban government raised the death toll to seven on Tuesday after the passage of the tropical storm Oscar in the eastern end of the island.

The island president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, reported in his X account that the seventh fatal victim was located in the town of Imíaz, in the province of Guantánamo, the most punished by the meteorological phenomenon.

“We deeply regret and convey our deepest condolences to family and friends. We point out the effects for each area, the actions that will be taken as soon as it is possible to start the recovery phase, as well as the necessary resources according to the protection of the people and the compensation of the damage in the shortest possible time,” wrote the Cuban president.

A number of rural communities still incommunicado after the passage of the storm has made it difficult for the authorities to make an initial assessment of personal and material damage.

Thousands of homes affected in Cuba by storm Oscar

The Government and the official media have added that, in addition to the loss of life, there are more than a thousand homes affected, damage to state infrastructure and considerable damage to agriculture.

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Early Tuesday, the Cuban state press reported that there are 6,000 people affected and about 4,000 “family nuclei” mainly by the floods, which have caused river overflows and sea penetrations in low coastal areas.

Oscar entered Cuba as a category 1 hurricane (out of 5) on the Saffir-Simpson scale on Sunday afternoon and spent just over 24 hours on the island, accompanied by strong winds, heavy rains and tides.

According to the Insmet, it made landfall near Baracoa (east) at 18:10 local time on Sunday and left Cuban territory in the vicinity of Gibara (east) around 19:20 local time this Monday.

In that sense, Civil Defense decided this Tuesday to declare the return to the phase of “normality” in the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín and Las Tunas “as it did not have any effects.”

Fifteenth tropical storm

Oscar is the fifteenth tropical storm of the current cyclonic season in the Atlantic and the first to hit land in Cuba.

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The U.S. weather services The US and Cuba warned months ago that this season of hurricanes in the Atlantic, which runs from June 1 to November 30, was going to be especially active.

The last time a major hurricane hit Cuba was in September 2017 when Irma advanced parallel to the north coast of the island and caused ten deaths and material losses officially valued at 13,185 million dollars.

International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

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While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.