On May 1, 2026, US President Donald Trump signed a new executive order expanding sanctions against the Cuban regime. The post US Expands Sanctions on Those Sustaining Repression in Cuba appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now Friday, May 1, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Friday, May 1, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

“The repeated use of water as a weapon by Israel is not an isolated act, but part of a recurring, systematic, and cumulative pattern.” The post Israel Uses Water as a Weapon of Punishment in Gaza appeared first on Havana Times.

I want to write to you about the various opinions I hear every day when I go out into the streets of my Cuba. The post Opinions in the Streets of Cuba appeared first on Havana Times.

Today, we present Mexican vocalist Silvana Estrada performing “Negra Presuntuosa” by Susana Baca, with the band Snarky Puppy. (2024) The post Silviana Estrada – Song of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

About a year ago, when she occupied it, the railroad crossing guard booth was abandoned. That is what the protagonist of this story claims... The post Cuba’s Housing Crisis Multiplies Illegal Occupations appeared first on Havana Times.

Descendants of families who had their properties confiscated by the Cuban government were interviewed about their continuing claims. The post Heirs of Confiscated Properties in Cuba Refuse to Give Up appeared first on Havana Times.

Sugar cane, bananas, African palm, and pineapple are among the most widespread monocultures in Central America. The post The Problems Brought by Monocultures in Central America appeared first on Havana Times.

Today we feature vocalist Samara Joy (USA) with a studio recording of the song You Stepped Out Of A Dream (2024). The post Samara Joy – Song of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now Monday, April 27, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Monday, April 27, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

We will see hundreds of thousands of signatures from people who, if asked anonymously, would say they want nothing to do with this regime. The post Signatures, What For? appeared first on Havana Times.

The criminal case against Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores in a Federal Court of New York has entered a critical phase. The post Venezuela-USA: Maduro & Flores with Public Defenders appeared first on Havana Times.

Yordanka Caridad from Cuba took our photo of the day: "The Street", in Havana, Cuba. The post The Street, Havana, Cuba – Photo of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

A childhood friend assures me that this is like when the eye of the cyclone passes over us and it seems that calm has finally arrived. The post Fatigue Barely Allows You to Enjoy the Lights On in Havana appeared first on Havana Times.

What happens in Budapest can alter decisions in Brussels, just as what happens in Washington, Berlin, or Paris affects the battlefield in Eastern Europe. The post Ukraine and the End of the Hungarian Economic Blockade appeared first on Havana Times.

Highs will range between 27 and 31ºC (81 and 88ºF), and lows between 18 and 21ºC (64 and 70ºF). Relative humidity will range from 60% to 85%. The post Havana Weather Forecast for April 23-29 appeared first on Havana Times.

Mexico is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup even as the country has been shaken by a wave of cartel violence and revelations of mass graves. The post World Cup Mexico 2026 and the Stadium of the Disappeared appeared first on Havana Times.

I decided to begin reading a children’s book. Not long ago, I received Zaraí and the City of I Don’t Know, by the poet and storyteller from Holguin, Luis Caisses Sanchez, The post Living by Our Own Efforts? appeared first on Havana Times.

Today we feature Natalia Lafourcade from Mexico with a video of the song “Maria la Curandera” released in 2024.  The post Natalia Lafourcade – Song of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

Amnesty International has denounced the “systematic repression of dissent and of the freedom of peaceful assembly” and expression in Cuba The post Amnesty Int. Denounces “Systematic Repression” in Cuba appeared first on Havana Times.

“Nicaragua is becoming a Russian military base,” says opposition figure and former political prisoner Félix Maradiaga. The post Russia Ratifies Military Cooperation Pact with Nicaragua appeared first on Havana Times.

I need to take care of some business in Camagüey. I haven’t been since October and I’m told it’s very difficult just to get out of Holguín itself. The post Traveling in Cuba Is Often Insurmountable appeared first on Havana Times.

January 3 is a date that marks a before… and a still. Yes, it is supposed to mark a before and an after, but the still prevails in Venezuela. The post Venezuela, the Pilgrim Country appeared first on Havana Times.

The grass is encroaching on the train tracks and the day care center is closed, but they are calling on us to “celebrate May 1st with joy.” The post Cuba is Crumbling Under a Picture-Postcard Blue Sky appeared first on Havana Times.

Highs will range between 28 and 33ºC (82 and 91ºF), and lows between 20 and 24ºC (68 and 75ºF). Relative humidity will range from 65% to 95%. The post Havana Weather for April 30 to May 6th appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now Wednesday, April 29, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Wednesday, April 29, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

Xavier Anaise from France took our photo of the day: "Resurrection", in Saint Pons, France. The post Resurrection, Saint Pons, France – Photo of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Tuesday, April 28, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

I rang the doorbell, and—as always—no one answered over the intercom or opened the front door. I noticed the presence of a camera... The post Back to My Childhood Home in Mexico City appeared first on Havana Times.

Without land of their own, Nicaraguan farmers in Costa Rica rent plots every six months to continue the trade inherited from their parents. The post Nicaraguan Farmers Sowing Rented Land in Costa Rica appeared first on Havana Times.

In Cuba, when you are not indifferent to the abandonment of animals—so normalized—you know that pain can find you anywhere. (10 photos) The post The One Who Came with the Rain appeared first on Havana Times.

Today we feature Brazilian artist Oda Cairu with the song “Espelho” released on April 18, 2026.   The post Oda Cairu – Song of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now Friday, April 24, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Friday, April 24, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

While officials speak of new pumps and rescue plans, in many Havana households the routine remains the same: waiting. The post The Daily Routine in Cuba With Blackouts, Without Water appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Thursday, April 23, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

Russian oil gives the capital a brief respite that, according to the government’s own figures, will be short-lived. The post Havana Regains Power for a Few Hours and Some Buses Run appeared first on Havana Times.

Their routine embodies today's Cuba: to endure, repair, sustain, even when everything around them seems at a standstill. (21 photos) The post The Emergency Railway Repair Brigade of Matanzas appeared first on Havana Times.

The state-owned company reports 200,000 affected citizens, while the population claims the figures ignore the true impact. The post Havana Water Co. Admits Supply Crisis in the Capital    appeared first on Havana Times.

A backlit photograph is obtained when the object or subject being photographed is placed between the camera and the light source. (16 photos) The post Backlighting During a Havana Blackout appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Tuesday, April 21, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

Workers, students, and representatives of official social organizations took part Friday in the International Workers’ Day parade. (26 photos) The post May Day 2026 in Matanzas, Cuba appeared first on Havana Times.

Valerie Love from Canada took our photo of the day: "Flying Over the Island", above Granma, Cuba. The post Flying Over the Island, Granma, Cuba – Photo of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

For the second consecutive year, Nicaragua is the Latin American country with the worst score in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index. The post Press Freedom in Nicaragua is “In Ruins” appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now Thursday, April 30, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Thursday, April 30, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

Electric tricycle drivers in San Jose de las Lajas face long waits, few passengers, and rising costs threatening their daily sustenance. The post Cuba’s Three Wheelers and a Lot of Bills To Pay appeared first on Havana Times.

With a vote of 47 in favor and 51 against, the initiative before the US Senate was blocked by the majority Republicans. The post The US Senate Gives Trump Green Light to Act on Cuba appeared first on Havana Times.

I left… But not completely..Something of you remained in me... The post I Never Left Completely appeared first on Havana Times.

The repatriation of the bodies of many Nicaraguans is delayed for months due to the absence of immediate family members and lack of funds. The post Dying Outside Nicaragua: The Long Road to Return Home appeared first on Havana Times.

The Guaguanco Rumba Festival of Matanzas was held from April 23 to 26, with broad participation from the public and artists. ( 24 photos) The post Guaguanco Rumba Festival in Matanzas, Cuba appeared first on Havana Times.

Jodi Newell from the United States took our photo of the day: "A Peaceful Day in Trinidad, Cuba". The post A Peaceful Day in Trinidad, Cuba – Photo of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

Internal struggles to eliminate competitors, gain influence, or secure exclusive patronage have always been intense. The post Where Power Is Really Concentrated in Cuba appeared first on Havana Times.

One day a friend came to my house with what for us has long been good news. Her niece had sold the house she inherited from her uncle in Havana... The post Banks in Cuba: A Never-Ending Topic for Comment appeared first on Havana Times.

I know that the guards are not to blame for my being here. Our destructive, dysfunctional political system isn’t their fault. The post I’m One of Cuba’s Political Prisoners. When Will I Go Free? appeared first on Havana Times.

The Energy Minister tones down official optimism and continues betting on solar power to replace fuel imports. The post Cuba Needs Eight Oil Tankers Every Month appeared first on Havana Times.

Peggy Shand from Canada took our photo of the day: "Honey Farm", in Bartolome Maso, Granma, Cuba. The post Honey Farm, Bartolome Maso, Granma – Photo of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.

Cuban activist Amelia Calzadilla reflects on her personal evolution, the role of civil society, and the possibilities for change in Cuba. The post Amelia Calzadilla: “The Cuban System Is Imploding” appeared first on Havana Times.

We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The post International News Briefs for Wednesday, April 22, 2026 appeared first on Havana Times.

The coming scenarios depend on how much the political system can absorb the discontent stemming from the outcome of this presidential election. The post Peru: A nueve días, elecciones aún sin resultados appeared first on Havana Times.

If arrested, she will force Trump to side with democracy. And if she is not detained, she will once again place herself at center stage. The post Maria Corina Machado Should Return to Venezuela ASAP appeared first on Havana Times.

Ken Alexander from the United States took our photo of the day: "Playing for Change", in Havana, Cuba. The post Playing for Change, Havana, Cuba – Photo of the Day appeared first on Havana Times.