Cuba’s widening economic turmoil along with its growing political tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump have paralyzed much of the island and raised uncertainty about what’s next.

The country was plunged into darkness this week by a blackout — the third big failure of its power grid since December — opening the door for Trump to suggest that he might have the “honor of taking Cuba.”

“I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it,” Trump said on Monday.

Cuba is struggling under the weight of an U.S. energy blockade that has halted oil shipments to the island over the past three months.

Many of the nation’s 11 million residents struggle to keep food from spoiling. Hospitals have canceled surgeries. The leading university has reduced classes due to the power outages and transportation shutdowns.

Here’s what to know about Cuba’s persistent blackouts and deepening crisis.

US leaders say power outages signal need for change

The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that the ongoing blackouts are a symptom of the Cuban government’s failure to provide the most basic needs for its people.

When asked about Cuba at an unrelated White House event on Tuesday, Trump turned to his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who is the son of Cuban immigrants.

Rubio said Cuba’s current political system and government can’t fix the country’s problems. “So they have to change dramatically,” Rubio said.

Cuba’s economic troubles are part of pressure campaign

The Trump administration is demanding that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions.

Trump has for months suggested Cuba’s government is on the verge of collapse and said after the U.S. ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that the increased economic pressure on the island meant the U.S. could have a “friendly takeover” there — though he has not clarified what that means.

Talks between the US and Cuba have been ongoing

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed last week that there have been discussions with Washington.

While he wouldn’t provide any specifics about the talks, he did say they were aimed at finding solutions to the “bilateral differences between our two nations.”

Trump has suggested that top Cuban leaders would be smart to avoid the fate of Maduro, who was arrested in a U.S. military operation in January.

The Trump administration is looking for Díaz-Canel to leave power, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of talks between Washington and Havana, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive talks and did not offer any details about who the administration might like to see as a replacement.

Fuel is in short supply

Cuba has struggled with dwindling oil after the U.S. removed Venezuela’s leader, halting critical petroleum shipments from the nation. Trump then threatened tariffs on any country selling or supplying Cuba with oil.

The island is relying on its own natural gas, solar power and its own oil to run thermoelectric plants, but that hasn’t been enough to meet demand.

The impact has been crippling. Buses have cut routes, gas is strictly rationed and a Cuban official said the health care system is teetering.

That’s on top of what was already a shortage of basic necessities, including food and medicine.

Power outages now are a daily occurrence in Cuba

Cuba’s aging grid has deteriorated in recent years to the point of being unreliable. There are daily outages and more frequent major blackouts.

Its thermoelectric plants are in poor shape too, seeing little maintenance. U.S. sanctions have prevented the government from buying new equipment and specialized parts, officials have said.

Shortages of fuel oil and diesel also have limited power production.

___

AP writers Aamer Madhani and Seung Min Kim contributed from Washington.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

The Duke of Edinburgh during a visit to the Bristol Zoo Project as part of a programme of events designed to reintroduce the zoo’s gorilla troop to visitors ahead of the Easter holidays, at Bristol Zoological Society, Hollywood Estate, Bristol. Picture date: Tuesday March 17, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Zoe Head-Thomas/PA Wire

Aston Martin are reportedly considering replacing Adrian Newey as Team Principal after just two races of the 2026 Formula 1 season

Aston Martin are reportedly considering replacing Adrian Newey as Team Principal after just two races of the 2026 Formula 1 season. However, it is understood that former Red Bull boss Christian Horner is not being considered as a potential replacement.

The Green Machine have suffered a disastrous start to the new campaign under former Red Bull chief technical officer Newey. Drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are yet to register a point following races in Australia and China, with both competitors failing to finish last time out in Shanghai.

There were even concerns about whether Aston Martin would be able to compete in the opening race of the season in Melbourne earlier this month. This was because two of the four battery packs supplied by Honda for the race weekend developed faults after just the first hour of on-track running in FP1.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton has finger pointed at him for ‘destroying’ Ferrari’s Chinese GPREAD MORE: George Russell’s classy unseen gesture for Lewis Hamilton says it all about Mercedes star

Speaking candidly about the challenging situation Aston Martin find themselves in, as engine reliability issues continue to hamper their performance, Newey suggested that a shortage of F1 experience amongst Honda’s workforce has been a major contributing factor to their troubles.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

He said: “They re-entered with let’s say only, I’m guessing, 30 per cent of their original team and now in a budget cap era. So they started very much on the back foot and unfortunately they’ve struggled to to catch back up.”

Reports from SoyMotor now suggest that Newey’s role at Aston Martin is under threat following their disappointing start to the season.

Advertisement

They report a significant amount of ‘tension, nervousness, and disappointment’ within the team, which they say is ‘combined with the aforementioned lack of leadership.’

It is thus suggested that Aston Martin is ‘actively searching for a new team principal to take the lead in management and public relations’.

However, this doesn’t imply that Newey will be dismissed, but rather he is expected to transition into a different role within the squad.

Aston Martin’s next opportunity to secure their first points of the season will be in Japan a week on Sunday.

The team have been approached for comment.

Households may be missing out on DWP cost of living support, energy bill grants and council assistance as living costs rise due to Middle East oil price increases

The cost of living could be set to rise sharply for many UK households. This follows the conflict in the Middle East which has caused oil prices to soar, potentially impacting petrol prices, energy bills, grocery costs and more.

However, some individuals may be eligible for more support than they are currently receiving. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), your utility suppliers, and your local council may offer cost of living support for households struggling to cover the essentials.

Citizens Advice has outlined who is eligible and how to claim your entitlement. Check below to see if you qualify.

DWP benefits

The DWP can provide much more than just the monthly or weekly benefit payments it offers. Claiming your entitlement, even if you only receive a minimal payment, can make you eligible for a range of other support like discounts or grants for essential bills, reports the Mirror.

There are online benefit checkers available where you can see exactly what you’re entitled to. People who are sick, disabled, on a low income, or have caring duties may be eligible for certain benefits.

If you’re struggling with the cost of living and only starting your benefits application now, you may be able to get your first payment early whilst you’re waiting for your application to be processed. This is known as a short-term benefit advance.

Advances are available for:

• Universal Credit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Carer’s Allowance
• Pension Credit
• State Pension

These advances do need to be repaid. Typically, the DWP will deduct from your future benefit payments until the total amount is fully returned. The repayments can be spread out over several weeks or months depending on which benefit you are claiming.

Suppliers

As energy bills become increasingly concerning for households, many individuals may be able to receive support directly from their supplier. This could include grants, fuel vouchers or being placed on a social tariff to reduce your cost of living.

Certain grants can also assist in making your home more energy efficient by helping with the cost of:

• A new boiler
• Boiler repairs
• Loft or cavity wall insulation
• A heat pump

Several energy suppliers also offer grants to help individuals settle their energy debts. Citizens Advice suggests contacting your supplier directly to see what additional support they can provide.

Local councils

Your local council may be able to assist with a variety of cost of living support, including fuel vouchers. However, each council may have different offerings and eligibility criteria so it’s best to check your local council’s website for more details.

Councils might also provide ‘Warm Welcome’ spaces that can be used by anyone to offer some relief. Each space is unique but Citizens Advice notes that these spaces often provide things like hot food and drinks, activities, community meeting places, access to the internet and computer assistance.

Eberechi Eze scored a spectacular goal to put Arsenal 1-0 up against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16, with team-mates left in disbelief at the emphatic strike

Eberechi Eze may have delivered a composed response to his Champions League thunderbolt, but his Arsenal colleagues reacted with rather less restraint. The midfielder fired the Gunners in front during their last-16 clash with Bayer Leverkusen courtesy of a blistering strike that prompted some jaw-dropping reactions.

Eze unleashed a ferocious effort on a bouncing ball from outside the area to defeat Janis Blaswich, who had been performing heroics at the Emirates. The goalkeeper barely had time to respond, such was the velocity of the shot.

William Saliba and Ben White immediately buried their heads in their hands in sheer astonishment, whilst Declan Rice, no stranger to a Champions League screamer himself, could only chuckle at the audacity. Mikel Arteta’s celebrations were passionate, to put it mildly.

The strike represented the 27-year-old’s maiden goal in the Champions League. Whilst those surrounding him descended into pandemonium and mobbed him, Eze merely tugged at the Gunners’ crest on his shirt.

The former Crystal Palace icon did permit himself some emotion as he embraced defender Gabriel Magalhaes once the celebrations started to fade. There was little harm in displaying some elation following a strike that edged Arsenal closer to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

READ MORE: Clubs ‘contact Premier League bosses’ after Chelsea avoid points deductionREAD MORE: Arsenal profit from VAR error for second time this season as mistake admitted

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football’s Facebook page

Former Arsenal centre-back Matthew Upson struggled to find adequate praise for Eze’s effort. “What a way to score your first Champions League goal,” he remarked.

“That is sensational. What a hit. With his right foot, it’s out of nothing, it’s a ball bouncing about, loose in the air.

“Eze’s first touch with his left, swivels and as it sat up on his right, he just powers it in. Middle of the goal but right near that post. The goalkeeper had no chance, it went past him in a flash.

Upson believes Eze is finding his feet at Arsenal after signing in the summer. “Just finding the change of gear to play at a club like Arsenal takes a little bit of time to settle in,” Upson said. “Eze is up and down at the moment but he’s getting there. Especially a season like this, there’s so much winning pressure, a slip up is around the corner at every moment.”

If Arsenal succeed in turning their advantage into a win, they will face Sporting CP in the next round of action. The Portuguese side managed to overturn a 3-0 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in their first leg to triumph in extra time.

Advertisement

Watch Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen on TNT Sports

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£30.99

TNT Sports

Get TNT Sports here

Arsenal have reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16 where they face Bayer Leverkusen on March 17. Fans can watch the game on Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us – and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Advertisement