By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
Cuba Condemns New US Sanctions as ‘Illegal’ and ‘Abusive’ Amid Trump’s Threat of an Immediate Takeover
HAVANA, CUBA — Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez has fiercely condemned a new wave of United States sanctions leveled against his nation, labeling the measures “illegal and abusive.”
The diplomatic friction peaked after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting key state officials in the energy, defense, financial, and security sectors of Cuba’s economy. The Trump administration alleged the targeted individuals are deeply complicit in systemic corruption and severe human rights abuses.
The signing of the executive order coincided with large-scale public demonstrations, as crowds marking International Workers’ Day marched outside the US Embassy in Havana. Protesters denounced an aggressive US naval blockade obstructing oil shipments to the island, an economic stranglehold that has triggered widespread blackouts and crippling domestic fuel shortages across the country.
Writing on the social media platform X, Foreign Minister Rodríguez stated that these “unilateral coercive measures” directly violate the United Nations Charter. He argued the policies are designed to impose “collective punishment against the Cuban people.” Rodríguez shared video footage of the street demonstrations, describing them as an unyielding display “in defense of the Homeland,” adding, “Our people do not cower.”
However, geopolitical tensions escalated further late Friday evening when President Trump told an audience at a political event in Florida that the US military would be “taking over” the Caribbean island—which sits just 145 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Florida—”almost immediately.” The inflammatory remarks cast a deep shadow over the region, marking a volatile new chapter in a strained relationship that has persisted since Fidel Castro overthrew a US-backed government in 1959.
Health Officials Report Rise in Syphilis Cases in Barbados, with Youth Most Affected
By Antonio Dey
BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS — The Ministry of Health and Wellness in Barbados has issued an urgent public health advisory following national surveillance data confirming a sharp upward spike in reported syphilis cases across the island.
According to epidemiological data released by state officials, Barbados recorded 156 new cases of syphilis in 2025, compared to 107 cases documented in 2024. This represents a significant year-over-year surge of approximately 46% in transmissions.
The national surveillance data highlights that the demographic brunt of the outbreak is heavily concentrated among young adults. The majority of newly documented infections occurred within the 20-to-29 age group in both statistical years, accounting for 40.2% of the national total in 2024 and 37.8% in 2025. Gender tracking in this young adult cohort revealed that males accounted for the vast majority of cases, comprising 72.1% of infections in 2024 and 61% in 2025.
In response to the data, public health officials are strongly advising all sexually active individuals—particularly those with new or multiple sexual partners—to undergo immediate testing. Clinical representatives reminded the public that syphilis initially manifests as a painless sore located at the site of infection (genitals, anus, or mouth) before progressing to a secondary rash, which frequently develops on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.
The Ministry emphasized that any positive screening must be followed by immediate medical treatment, and recent sexual partners must be notified to break the chain of transmission. Moving forward, the Ministry of Health and Wellness pledged to rigorously monitor sexually transmitted infection (STI) trends and to collaborate with healthcare providers and community partners to strengthen regional prevention, testing, and public education campaigns.
Fury in India as Its Sailors Become Collateral Damage in Trump’s War With Iran
By Antonio Dey
NEW DELHI, INDIA — The tragic deaths of three Indian seafarers during a targeted US military strike on a commercial oil tanker have sparked widespread public fury across India, placing immense diplomatic strain on the relationship between New Delhi and Washington.
The fatal military engagement occurred on Wednesday morning in the Sea of Oman. The M/T Settebello, a Palau-flagged commercial vessel laden with Iranian crude oil, was transiting international waters when a US military aircraft fired precision-guided munitions directly into its engine room. The high-explosive strike ignited a massive fire, sending thick columns of black smoke into the atmosphere and triggering an emergency international maritime rescue operation.
The three Indian nationals found dead in the wreckage represent the first confirmed seafaring casualties of Washington’s active naval operation to blockade Iranian ports. The fatalities have ignited intense anger within India, fueling allegations that its citizens are being used as defenseless collateral damage in a foreign conflict.
The US military defended the kinetic strike, issuing a statement asserting that the operational engagement was initiated only after the commercial crew repeatedly failed to comply with maritime instructions issued by American forces enforcing the blockade.
However, the incident has deeply alarmed administrators in New Delhi, who are increasingly terrified for the safety of thousands of Indian mariners navigating global shipping lanes amid the broader US-Israeli war with Iran. The Indian government has formally urged Washington to halt military strikes on commercial shipping vessels.
The geopolitical timing of the strike is exceptionally delicate, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet face-to-face with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in France next week. While Prime Minister Modi has maintained public silence regarding the casualties, he is facing intense pressure from local labor organizations to forcefully denounce the American attack.
In a scathing public declaration issued on Friday, the Center of Indian Trade Unions demanded immediate state action, asserting, “When a foreign military kills Indian workers in international waters, the government of India must speak – loudly and firmly.”
