President Trump extended an executive order imposing a $100,000 fee for H-1B non-immigrant visas until September 2027, despite a US court having vacated the fee. The extension maintains pressure on employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers, particularly affecting Indian professionals.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on August 6, 2026, targeting five Cuban entities and eight individuals accused of procuring military equipment from China and Russia, including Cuba's senior military representative in Beijing.
Cuba's national electricity grid failed on Sunday, August 3, 2026, causing a nationwide blackout affecting approximately 10 million people. The collapse is the latest in a series of power failures attributed to aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and lack of replacement parts.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel denounced the United States for what he called 'genocidal' practices and accused Washington of seeking to seize control of the island, as Cuba endures severe economic hardship from a US oil embargo imposed in January 2026 and additional sanctions.
Ukrainian drones struck a major oil terminal and military facilities near St. Petersburg in one of the largest deep-strike operations of the war, prompting Putin to visit military installations and vow further territorial gains. President Trump subsequently held a 90-minute phone call with Putin, offering to help find a solution to the conflict.
Russian officials expressed readiness for peace negotiations with Ukraine while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioned whether President Trump has shifted his stance on the war following suggestions by French President Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit. The Kremlin indicated it expects to resume contacts with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner over Ukraine.
Cuba claims its healthcare system is struggling under US energy sanctions affecting children's health and daily life, even as US exports to Cuba have jumped dramatically in 2026 through businesses exploiting a trade loophole to send fuel, food, vehicles and other goods past Trump administration sanctions.
An investigation found that India's Ambani family secured major policy concessions from the Trump administration while secretly funneling at least $100 million to a Texas firm connected to Donald Trump Jr.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing the Havana Docks Corporation to pursue compensation for property confiscated by Fidel Castro's regime in 1960, with the Trump administration backing the lawsuit against major cruise lines over use of Port of Havana docks.
Cuba's national electricity grid suffered multiple nationwide collapses in March 2026, leaving millions without power after the United States imposed an oil blockade on the island. President Donald Trump publicly mused about taking over Cuba as the crisis unfolded.
The Trump administration has indicted former Cuban President Raúl Castro on murder charges related to the 1996 downing of planes operated by Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue. The indictment escalates Washington's pressure campaign seeking regime change in Cuba.
Cuba has rejected US military assessments alleging that the island nation acquired over 300 military drones and discussed plans to attack the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, US vessels, and potentially Key West, Florida. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez characterized the claims as fabrications.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe led a U.S. delegation to Havana on Thursday for talks with Cuban government officials, including Raul Castro's grandson, as Cuba faces a collapsing energy sector. The Trump administration indicated it will only engage if Cuba makes fundamental changes.
The Trump administration imposed financial sanctions on Cuba's military-run business conglomerate GAESA and a Cuban-Canadian mining joint venture, prompting Toronto-based Sherritt to withdraw from its Cuban operations. Despite Trump's repeated threats that 'Cuba is next,' the US ruled out imminent military action.
