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Cuba

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Cuba. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Havana

Head of State

President Miguel Díaz-Canel

Head of Government

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz

Screen shows red and blue opposing unit “indicators”, represented by aircraft and ships, manoeuvring near the coasts of Cuba and Mexico in footage recorded at a PLA wargaming event held in China’s Henan province. Photo: CCTV

China’s military drills

China’s PLA simulated battles near Mexico, Cuba and Taiwan, CCTV report shows

Rare insight revealed on state television in footage from a PLA wargaming event in central China where dozens of systems were demonstrated.

24 Dec 2025 - 8:02PMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong is stepping up its competitiveness in aviation

16 Dec 2025 - 6:45AM

War and conflict

As I see it | Would the world be safer if the military were in charge of the US?

12 Dec 2025 - 8:30PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong signs aviation deals with 7 countries to expand global reach

Transport chief Mable Chan says deals reached with mostly Latin American nations, while Airport Authority CEO calls for more investment to manage risks.

9 Dec 2025 - 8:06PM

Hong Kong International Airport. The Airport Authority’s CEO has pointed to continuous investment as a way to mitigate risks in an uncertain business environment. Photo: Jonathan Wong

War and conflict

Opinion | Welcome to a world where wars don’t end and sanctions don’t work

The age of ‘distributed multipolarity’ shows that superpowers alone can no longer dictate international affairs.

6 Dec 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Americas and the Caribbean

Cuba starts restoring power to Havana, as millions suffer blackouts

A failed transmission line connecting Havana to Cuba’s largest power plant in Matanzas triggered the morning blackout.

3 Dec 2025 - 11:36PM

United States

US pauses all immigration applications from 19 countries

The pause applies to people from nations that were already subjected to a partial travel ban in June.

3 Dec 2025 - 10:16AM

Women gather next to an anti-US mural in Tehran. The list of countries targeted in the US memorandum includes Iran. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters

Vietnam

Asian Angle | The hidden domestic agenda behind Vietnam’s baffling foreign policy

To Lam’s recent pilgrimages to North Korea and Cuba signal ideological loyalty, even as he pushes a hard-nosed reform agenda at home.

29 Nov 2025 - 1:30PM

United States

Opinion | Venezuela? Trump’s real aim could be laying claim to the western hemisphere

In the aftermath of American exceptionalism, Trump and Xi could form respective ‘greater areas’, each ordered by their own nation’s political and legal norms.

23 Nov 2025 - 8:30PMvideocam

United States

Opinion | Don’t blame China for America’s authoritarian turn

America’s authoritarian turn didn’t start with Donald Trump and has been decades in the making.

19 Nov 2025 - 9:30AM

US President Donald Trump participates in a reenlistment ceremony for soldiers during a military parade commemorating the Army’s 250th anniversary on his 79th birthday on June 14 in Washington. Photo: AP

Art

4 notable art exhibitions opening around the world

Westwood and Rei Kawakubo’s work is celebrated, Anderson’s film sets yield many intriguing items, Rauschenberg’s Asia travels bear fruit, and Wifredo Lam’s mixed heritage comes to the fore.

7 Nov 2025 - 6:00PM

Director Wes Anderson. “Wes Anderson: The Archives” will be on show in London. Photo: Handout

Americas and the Caribbean

Medical supplies, staff in short supply in Jamaica, Cuba in wake of record storm

Described as one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic, Melissa caused widespread damage in the Caribbean.

1 Nov 2025 - 1:08PMvideocam

Extreme weather

Video | Hurricane Melissa kills dozens in Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica

Even countries outside Melissa’s direct path felt the devastating effects of one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded.

30 Oct 2025 - 2:59PM

Natural disasters

Death toll rises as Caribbean nations dig out after Hurricane Melissa

Dozens are dead and missing after monster storm Melissa thrashes Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba.

30 Oct 2025 - 3:04PM

Residents walk through Lacovia Tombstone, Jamaica, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Photo: AP

Natural disasters

Monster Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Cuba after smashing Jamaica

Jamaica declared a ‘disaster area’ as its strongest-ever storm strikes Cuba before heading to the Bahamas.

29 Oct 2025 - 6:41PMvideocam

A man walks in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Extreme weather

‘Don’t gamble with Melissa’: Jamaica awaits Category 5 ‘record’ hurricane

Catastrophic flash flooding, a metres-high storm surge and landslides are likely, authorities warn.

27 Oct 2025 - 11:28PM

Drugs

Cuba captures Chinese drug fugitive ‘Brother Wang’ after Mexico escape

Zhi Dong Zhang, wanted by the US government on drugs charges, is being by Cuban authorities, Mexico says.

23 Oct 2025 - 1:26PM

Americas and the Caribbean

Bolivia’s president-elect says will resume US ties after nearly 2 decades

Rodrigo Paz seeks warmer relations with Washington, signalling a major foreign policy shift for the South American country.

21 Oct 2025 - 11:57AM

Rodrigo Paz, Bolivia’s new pro-business president-elect. Photo: EPA

US-Cuba relations

Cuba frees prominent dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer for exile in the US

Opposition figure lands in Miami and vows to ‘keep up the fight’ following years of prison and torture.

14 Oct 2025 - 11:02AM

Art

Cuban painter Alejandro Piñeiro Bello just wants to dream

The Miami-based Cuban artist on bringing his rich culture and vivid imagination to life on canvas for his latest show.

8 Oct 2025 - 12:45PM

Ukraine war

Lured by US$2,000 pay, Cubans dying for Russia in Ukraine: official

A Ukrainian official said the number of Cubans hired by Moscow to fight in its war against Kyiv could be as high as 20,000.

23 Sep 2025 - 2:29PMvideocam

Ukrainian servicemen fire a tank towards Russian troops in the Donetsk region on September 3. Photo: Reuters

Espionage

China pledges more intelligence sharing with Cuba, months after US jitters

Chen Yixin says Beijing is ready to work on the ‘important mutual understandings’ reached at leaders’ meeting in May.

25 Aug 2025 - 3:09PM

A worker in Cuba checks bus parts and accessories one of the Chinese government assistance projects to the country. Photo: Xinhua

Americas and the Caribbean

Cuba minister resigns after saying her country has no beggars

Cuba’s labour minister draws fire for asserting those seen begging in her economically depressed country were pretending to be poor.

16 Jul 2025 - 11:27AM

ITTF

Table tennis World Cup champ Calderano denied US visa over 2023 Cuba visit

Hugo Calderano was banned from entering the United States because of a visit to Cuba for a tournament in 2023.

4 Jul 2025 - 6:20PM

US-China relations

‘Brazen’ suspected China surveillance sites in Cuba trigger US House hearing

Lawmakers warn that Beijing may be expanding intelligence footprint near American soil and urge Trump administration to take firmer stance.

7 May 2025 - 5:43AM

The town of Bejucal in northwestern Cuba is the site of a suspected intelligence operation targeting the US. Photo: Centre for Strategic and International Studies

What to do in Hong Kong

Scuba divers talk up potential for the sport’s growth in Hong Kong

Hong Kong supports a diversity of coral and fish, even if its waters are murky, pair say. They suggest ways to attract more scuba divers.

5 May 2025 - 1:01PM

A diver views corals growing in Hong Kong waters Photo: Simon Lorenz

Americas and the Caribbean

Cuba pins hopes on Chinese to help save sputtering tourism industry

Cuba seeks boost from China as visitors from Russia, Canada, Spain and Italy decline.

1 May 2025 - 6:11PM

Marco Rubio

Who are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s parents, Mario and Oriales Rubio?

Marco Rubio has been criticised for saying his parents fled Cuba when Fidel Castro came to power, even though they were granted permanent residency in the US several years before.

10 Apr 2025 - 7:00PM

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Cuba

China’s PLA simulated battles near Mexico, Cuba and Taiwan, CCTV report shows

Rare insight revealed on state television in footage from a PLA wargaming event in central China where dozens of systems were demonstrated.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Hong Kong is stepping up its competitiveness in aviation

As I see it | Would the world be safer if the military were in charge of the US?

Hong Kong signs aviation deals with 7 countries to expand global reach

Transport chief Mable Chan says deals reached with mostly Latin American nations, while Airport Authority CEO calls for more investment to manage risks.

Opinion | Welcome to a world where wars don’t end and sanctions don’t work

The age of ‘distributed multipolarity’ shows that superpowers alone can no longer dictate international affairs.

Cuba starts restoring power to Havana, as millions suffer blackouts

A failed transmission line connecting Havana to Cuba’s largest power plant in Matanzas triggered the morning blackout.

US pauses all immigration applications from 19 countries

The pause applies to people from nations that were already subjected to a partial travel ban in June.

Asian Angle | The hidden domestic agenda behind Vietnam’s baffling foreign policy

To Lam’s recent pilgrimages to North Korea and Cuba signal ideological loyalty, even as he pushes a hard-nosed reform agenda at home.

Opinion | Venezuela? Trump’s real aim could be laying claim to the western hemisphere

In the aftermath of American exceptionalism, Trump and Xi could form respective ‘greater areas’, each ordered by their own nation’s political and legal norms.

Opinion | Don’t blame China for America’s authoritarian turn

America’s authoritarian turn didn’t start with Donald Trump and has been decades in the making.

4 notable art exhibitions opening around the world

Westwood and Rei Kawakubo’s work is celebrated, Anderson’s film sets yield many intriguing items, Rauschenberg’s Asia travels bear fruit, and Wifredo Lam’s mixed heritage comes to the fore.

Medical supplies, staff in short supply in Jamaica, Cuba in wake of record storm

Described as one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic, Melissa caused widespread damage in the Caribbean.

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Hurricane Melissa kills dozens in Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica

Even countries outside Melissa’s direct path felt the devastating effects of one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded.

Death toll rises as Caribbean nations dig out after Hurricane Melissa

Dozens are dead and missing after monster storm Melissa thrashes Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba.

Monster Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Cuba after smashing Jamaica

Jamaica declared a ‘disaster area’ as its strongest-ever storm strikes Cuba before heading to the Bahamas.

‘Don’t gamble with Melissa’: Jamaica awaits Category 5 ‘record’ hurricane

Catastrophic flash flooding, a metres-high storm surge and landslides are likely, authorities warn.

Cuba captures Chinese drug fugitive ‘Brother Wang’ after Mexico escape

Zhi Dong Zhang, wanted by the US government on drugs charges, is being by Cuban authorities, Mexico says.

Bolivia’s president-elect says will resume US ties after nearly 2 decades

Rodrigo Paz seeks warmer relations with Washington, signalling a major foreign policy shift for the South American country.

Cuba frees prominent dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer for exile in the US

Opposition figure lands in Miami and vows to ‘keep up the fight’ following years of prison and torture.

Cuban painter Alejandro Piñeiro Bello just wants to dream

The Miami-based Cuban artist on bringing his rich culture and vivid imagination to life on canvas for his latest show.

Lured by US$2,000 pay, Cubans dying for Russia in Ukraine: official

A Ukrainian official said the number of Cubans hired by Moscow to fight in its war against Kyiv could be as high as 20,000.

China pledges more intelligence sharing with Cuba, months after US jitters

Chen Yixin says Beijing is ready to work on the ‘important mutual understandings’ reached at leaders’ meeting in May.

Cuba minister resigns after saying her country has no beggars

Cuba’s labour minister draws fire for asserting those seen begging in her economically depressed country were pretending to be poor.

Table tennis World Cup champ Calderano denied US visa over 2023 Cuba visit

Hugo Calderano was banned from entering the United States because of a visit to Cuba for a tournament in 2023.

‘Brazen’ suspected China surveillance sites in Cuba trigger US House hearing

Lawmakers warn that Beijing may be expanding intelligence footprint near American soil and urge Trump administration to take firmer stance.

Scuba divers talk up potential for the sport’s growth in Hong Kong

Hong Kong supports a diversity of coral and fish, even if its waters are murky, pair say. They suggest ways to attract more scuba divers.

Cuba pins hopes on Chinese to help save sputtering tourism industry

Cuba seeks boost from China as visitors from Russia, Canada, Spain and Italy decline.

Who are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s parents, Mario and Oriales Rubio?

Marco Rubio has been criticised for saying his parents fled Cuba when Fidel Castro came to power, even though they were granted permanent residency in the US several years before.

Opinion | Hong Kong is stepping up its competitiveness in aviation

Video | Hurricane Melissa kills dozens in Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica