Caribbean island nation under U.S. pressure amid outages and diplomatic tensions
The midterm landscape has shifted as the possibility of a Democratic wave increases oversight potential on the Trump administration. Experts say Congress could curb key powers, probe business ties, and challenge tariff policy as public disapproval grows. The outcome will limit the administration’s ability to push through policy in 2027.
Mexican authorities are enforcing a new transit arrangement for deported nationals, routing Mexicans via Guatemala and Honduras before return to Mexico within 24 hours, as the United States widens cooperation with Latin American partners. Officials say this tactic is aimed at deterring migration, while Mexico protests and seeks clarity on legal protections for its citizens.
Beef prices have risen as U.S. cattle numbers shrink and imports face constraints. The White House is moving to allow up to 300,000 metric tons of lean ground beef to be imported for 90 days at a 25% discount, seeking to ease consumer costs ahead of the midterms. Ranchers warn the measure could undermine long-term herd growth and U.S. cattle profitability.
The Trump administration has expanded third-country deportations, striking deals with Liberia and other nations to send migrants to places outside their home countries. The program, described by advocates as a loophole, has involved thousands of departures and include asylum seekers; critics warn of risks and limited due process.
The Trump administration has mobilized a broad sanctions push to choke Iran’s economy, promising the toughest penalties in history. Officials say secondary sanctions will target countries and firms doing business with Tehran, with aims to isolate Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz as the war disrupts regional trade.
The United States has removed Syria from its state sponsor of terrorism list, and has also delisted the al-Nusrah Front. Damascus says the move unlocks investment and accelerates reconstruction as it seeks to reintegrate with the global economy. Washington frames the step as a path to stability, while analysts caution continued regional risks.
The US has agreed with Venezuela’s interim government to create a private joint venture giving the United States effective majority output rights to roughly 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan reserves. The deal promises nearly $100bn in private investment and guarantees oil supplies to refill US strategic reserves, but no contract text or financing details have been released and production gains will take years.
The folding hand fan, abanico, has become a daily companion during Western Europe’s heat waves, with Spaniards adopting it as a practical and cultural symbol. The piece traces its European journey from Portugal’s trade routes to Velázquez’s era, Madrid’s production hub, and Valencia’s flourished craft.
Cuban schools are reopening as fuel, power, and teacher shortages continue to strain the system. More than 10,000 schools will welcome about 1.4 million children and 135,000 teachers, but shortages force communities to rely on borrowed staff, private meals, and relaxed uniforms while the government appeals for help.
The United States has secured a long-term deal to gain majority control over Venezuela’s oil reserves, with NABEP-backed operations set to develop 17 fields containing some 65 billion barrels. The arrangement gives the Pentagon-backed stake and rights to output, while Caracas preserves ownership of its resources. Analysts say the move signals a major shift in energy dominance and geopolitics.
Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández has been cleared by a Honduran judge in a Pandora I corruption case tied to 2010–2013 public spending. Hernández has returned from the United States after a 2025 presidential pardon and has insisted he is innocent. Prosecutors can appeal the judge's decision, the judiciary has said.
The UN General Assembly has endorsed a non-binding move to shift from the Mercator projection to the Equal Earth map to better reflect continental sizes. The vote saw 164 members in favour with the United States abstaining or opposing; several countries express concerns about disputed territories and implications for regional shading.
The Department of Labor’s inspector general has released a 44-page report detailing a toxic workplace and misconduct claims around former Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, including pressure on staff, personal tasks during official time, and an alleged inappropriate relationship with a security detail member. She resigned earlier this year.
Fans say Tupac Shakur’s legacy endures as the Las Vegas trial of Duane Davis unfolds, with supporters noting the case offers a path to justice and closure decades after the rapper’s 1996 death.
The UN General Assembly has voted 164–1 to encourage use of equal-area map projections, led by Togo and backed by the African Union. The non-binding resolution recommends the Equal Earth projection for schools, governments and tech companies. The United States cast the sole vote against; six states abstained.
Canada has imposed retaliatory tariffs on up to $20 billion in U.S. goods, expanding the trade war after negotiations collapsed. Prime Minister Carney argues the measures protect Canadian workers and communities while signaling readiness to renew talks. Tariffs take effect after midnight, with president's promised responses looming.
President Donald Trump has proposed renaming the Strait of Hormuz to "Trump Strait" in a Truth Social post and has repeated earlier moves to relabel bodies of water. His post follows an executive order renaming Lake Ontario and earlier declarations renaming the Gulf of Mexico; officials have not explained how a change to an international waterway would be implemented.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has met French President Emmanuel Macron on Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and has announced plans to deepen economic and security ties with France and the European Union, including backing for a proposal that Canada become the EU's first "associate member." The leaders have discussed energy, critical minerals, defence and technology as Ottawa shifts away from U.S. dependence.
The United States is strengthening security ties with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru as right‑wing leadership grows in the region. Washington has designated cartels as foreign threats and seeks closer military and economic cooperation, while regional partners push back on violence tied to narcotics networks.
Cuba faces ongoing power outages and rising living costs as a long-standing U.S. embargo compounds the island’s economic crisis. Doctors and families describe mounting psychological stress and scarce resources, while officials point to sanctions as a key driver of hardship.
A Cuban man in the United States under Cuban Adjustment Act processing must choose to return to Cuba or risk deportation after a courtroom moment, ending five years of U.S. life amid economic hardship and family separation. New details show the broader uncertainty for Cubans with I-220A forms as courts revisit eligibility.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has placed President Trump on speaker during a tech conference conversation with All-In podcast hosts and defended continued data centre and AI development. Trump has warned against what he called efforts to block data-centre construction and has pledged support for the industry, while polling shows strong local opposition to new data centres over environmental and cost concerns.
Cuba has suffered a nationwide power grid collapse that began on 18 September and has forced authorities to activate gradual restoration protocols. Officials say a transmission-line failure and poor weather triggered the outage; Havana has prioritised hospitals and water pumping stations while residents report prolonged outages, fuel shortages and strained services amid an ongoing US energy blockade.
A three‑judge panel of the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals has largely upheld a lower court ruling that found the Department of Homeland Security’s third‑country removal policy unlawful, saying migrants must get a meaningful chance to raise safety concerns before removal. The panel narrowed one part of the decision on procedural grounds. The administration is expected to appeal.
A U.S. appeals court has largely upheld a February decision finding the Department of Homeland Security’s third-country removal policy unlawful. The ruling requires migrants to have a meaningful opportunity to raise safety concerns before removal, overturning part of the prior ruling on procedural grounds. The DHS plans to appeal as officials push ahead with a controversial policy that has drawn widespread scrutiny.
The State Department has amended ITAR to remove Syria from the denial list, allowing case‑by‑case consideration of US arms exports. The move follows steps to ease sanctions and hints at reopening Damascus embassy. Seven countries remain on the denial list as Washington shifts its approach to Damascus.
As Brazil heads to a high-stakes presidential vote, Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro remain the leading contenders. Voters will decide whether Lula secures a fourth term or Bolsonaro returns his family to power. The race also shapes Brazil’s stance on the Amazon and relations with the United States, with a broad field of other races on Sunday’s ballot.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has delivered a speech at the Acropolis urging Western nations to reclaim classical values, rebuild industry and defence, and pursue an "unapologetic" national power. He has linked the rhetoric to warnings about Iran and called on Europe to strengthen alliances and reindustrialise amid rising geopolitical competition.
The European Parliament has awarded its 2026 Sakharov Prize to the International Criminal Court as the Hague tribunal has faced sweeping US financial sanctions announced in October. The EU and many member states have pledged support; the ICC and UN officials have condemned the US measures, while Israel and the Trump administration have welcomed them.
A 40-year memorial in Mbuzini marks the Mbuzini plane crash that killed Mozambican leader Samora Machel and 34 others. Officials emphasise the right to truth as new remarks underscore unresolved doubts about the crash and its causes, with the event drawing ties between Mozambique and South Africa and reaffirming commitments to memory, peace and development.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants have appeals rejected as the government maintains a June 2028 military trial date at Guantánamo. Plea deals that would have spared the death penalty have been voided by the Defense Secretary, keeping a capital outcome on the table.
Florida Attorney General has filed a state charge of conspiracy to commit first‑degree murder against Raul Castro, based on a federal indictment and new Florida evidence. The case centers on the 1996 downing of three Brothers to the Rescue planes, which killed four people and intensified U.S.–Cuba tensions amid renewed sanctions and calls for regime change.
The United Nations faces heightened pressure as the U.S. administration has intensified diplomatic efforts to influence votes on the Cuban embargo resolution ahead of the General Assembly meeting. Havana accuses Washington of threatening visas, sanctions, and financing opposition groups to sway member states.
The Guardian, Al Jazeera, France 24 and Arab News report that Boreal has announced new information indicating AI was used in the writing process of the novel and has ended its professional relationship with Orelien. The publisher behind the Goncourt shortlist says it will not know the full extent of AI involvement, while the author defends his honesty. The controversy surrounds a migration-themed novel and its removal from prize consideration.
The United States has intensified its push against Cuba at the United Nations, with officials pressing allies to vote against the longstanding embargo resolution. President Trump’s public discussions of possible military options for Cuba have added urgency to a developing safety and economic crisis on the island, as sanctions and fuel shortages deepen hardship for Cuban civilians.
US Ambassador Mike Waltz has publicly confronted Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla on the UN General Assembly floor, accusing Havana of propaganda and corruption as Cuban delegates clash and security moves intervene. The incident precedes a pivotal vote on the U.S. embargo policy toward Cuba.