عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Cuba Hit by Another Total Blackout as Energy Crisis Worsens

Women hold umbrellas to shield from the sun while waiting to cross a street during a national power grid collapse, for the fourth time in less than a year, which caused a nationwide blackout, in Havana, Cuba, September 10, 2025. (Reuters)
Women hold umbrellas to shield from the sun while waiting to cross a street during a national power grid collapse, for the fourth time in less than a year, which caused a nationwide blackout, in Havana, Cuba, September 10, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Cuba Hit by Another Total Blackout as Energy Crisis Worsens

Women hold umbrellas to shield from the sun while waiting to cross a street during a national power grid collapse, for the fourth time in less than a year, which caused a nationwide blackout, in Havana, Cuba, September 10, 2025. (Reuters)
Women hold umbrellas to shield from the sun while waiting to cross a street during a national power grid collapse, for the fourth time in less than a year, which caused a nationwide blackout, in Havana, Cuba, September 10, 2025. (Reuters)

A total blackout hit Cuba on Wednesday, the latest in a series of outages blamed on aging infrastructure and fuel shortages at power plants.

It was the second island-wide outage this year, with three other blackouts reported late last year.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines said on social platform X that the latest outage could be tied to a malfunctioning thermoelectric plant, although the investigation is ongoing.

The ministry said crews were working to restore power to the island of roughly 10 million people.

Earlier this week, an outage hit Cuba’s eastern region, leaving people from Las Tunas to Guantánamo in the dark for several hours.

In February, the government suspended classes and work activities for two days given a shortage in electricity generation.

There is a severe economic and energy supply crisis in Cuba. It has worsened in recent years due to US sanctions intended to put pressure on the island to change its political model.

The sanctions have prevented the Caribbean nation from having sufficient foreign currency to buy fuel or repair its aging thermoelectric plants, many of which have been operating for more than 30 years.

Most Viewed

 
 
World

Russia Urges Trump Administration to Clarify 'Contradictory' Signals on Nuclear Testing

Representation photo: This photograph shows a general view of Kurskaya nuclear power plant taken outside the town of Kurchatov on August 27, 2024. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP)
Representation photo: This photograph shows a general view of Kurskaya nuclear power plant taken outside the town of Kurchatov on August 27, 2024. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP)
TT
TT

Russia Urges Trump Administration to Clarify 'Contradictory' Signals on Nuclear Testing

Representation photo: This photograph shows a general view of Kurskaya nuclear power plant taken outside the town of Kurchatov on August 27, 2024. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP)
Representation photo: This photograph shows a general view of Kurskaya nuclear power plant taken outside the town of Kurchatov on August 27, 2024. (Photo by TATYANA MAKEYEVA / AFP)

Russia urged the United States on Friday to clarify what it called contradictory signals about a resumption of nuclear testing, saying such a step would trigger responses from Russia and other countries.

President Donald Trump last week ordered the US military to immediately restart the process for testing nuclear weapons. But he did not make clear if he meant flight-testing of nuclear-capable missiles or a resumption of tests involving nuclear explosions - something neither the US nor Russia has done for more than three decades.

"If it is the latter, then this will create negative dynamics and trigger steps from other states, including Russia, in response," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

"For now, we note that the signals emanating from Washington, which are causing justified concern in all corners of the world, remain contradictory, and, of course, the real state of affairs must be clarified."

Citing the lack of clarity around US plans, President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday instructed top officials to prepare proposals for Russia to carry out its own potential nuclear test in response to any US test.

Security analysts say a resumption of testing by any of the world's nuclear powers would be a destabilizing step at a time of acute geopolitical tension, notably over the war in Ukraine, and would likely prompt other countries to follow suit.

Russia and the US possess the world's largest nuclear arsenals.

The last remaining treaty between them that limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads on both sides is due to expire in three months, potentially fueling an arms race that is already in progress.

Putin has proposed that both sides continue to observe the treaty limits for another year, but Trump has yet to respond formally to the idea.

World

Russia Says It’s Ready to Respond to Venezuela’s Appeal for Help 

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters)
TT
TT

Russia Says It’s Ready to Respond to Venezuela’s Appeal for Help 

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2025. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via Reuters)

Russia is prepared to respond to Venezuela's requests for assistance, while urging against any escalation of tension in the region, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has appealed to Moscow for military support, including repairs to Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets, upgrades to radar systems, and the delivery of missile systems.

The request was made in response to what Caracas views as growing threats from Washington, which has built up a large military presence in the Caribbean in recent months.

World

Explosion at Mosque in Indonesian Capital Injures Dozens

Indonesian military personnel guard as residents gather near the area after an explosion occurred at a school complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
Indonesian military personnel guard as residents gather near the area after an explosion occurred at a school complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
TT
TT

Explosion at Mosque in Indonesian Capital Injures Dozens

Indonesian military personnel guard as residents gather near the area after an explosion occurred at a school complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
Indonesian military personnel guard as residents gather near the area after an explosion occurred at a school complex in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan

Dozens of people were injured and hospitalized after an explosion occurred during Friday prayers at a mosque inside a school complex in Indonesia's capital Jakarta, police said.

Police were investigating the cause of explosion at the site in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, city police chief Asep Edi Suheri told a televised press conference.

The number of people admitted to hospitals was 54, he said, adding the injuries ranged from minor to serious and included burns.

News channels KompasTV and MetroTV showed footage of a police line around the school with ambulances standing by. Images of the mosque showed no extensive damage.

Asep said authorities had set up posts in two hospitals to assist relatives in finding injured victims.

"We are still investigating, as this incident just occurred," Asep said.