International

Cuba suffers a new national blackout, the third in two months

The Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) of Cuba reported on Wednesday that the country suffered a new national blackout, the third in just two months, after the failure in a key thermoelectric power plant for the National Electric System (SEN).

“At 2:08 this morning, the Electrical System, SEN, was disconnected when the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric company left by firing the automatic. We are working on the recovery process,” Minem said on social networks.

Cuba suffered another national blackout on October 18 due to another breakdown in that same thermoelectric power plant and another with the passage of Hurricane Rafael, on November 6, with category 3 (out of 5) on the Saffir-Simpson scale through the west of the country.

Energy crisis

In both cases it took days to restore service throughout the island. The country has been plunged into an energy crisis for years due to the lack of fuel – due to the lack of foreign currency to import it – and the frequent breakdowns in its obsolete thermoelectric plants, with decades of operation and a chronic deficit of investments. The situation has worsened since the end of August.

The Minister of Energy, Vicente de la O Levy, assured the state press that the reconnection will be “relatively faster” than in the previous two times. In that sense, the Chancellor, Bruno Rodríguez, said that “there are favorable conditions” for the restoration.

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On Tuesday, the Caribbean country recorded its highest rate of affectation due to electricity generation deficit, with 52%, a figure similar to the one announced on November 19.

The frequent blackouts weigh down the economy – which already contracted by 1.9% in 2023 – and stire social discontent, visible in the massive migration of recent years and in the unusual protests that have been recorded since 2021.

In mid-November, the Minister of Economy, Joaquín Alonso Vázquez, acknowledged that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will also contract in 2024.

“The economic development of a country depends largely on energy and we have had electrical effects throughout the year (…) On the other hand, we have not had a stable supply of fuel this year either. There is a shortage of gasoline, diesel, etc… and the economy needs energy to be dynamic,” he lamented.

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International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”