Cuba’s power grid has collapsed for the third time this month, leaving the country in darkness with no electricity.

The cut came as the communist government continued to battle with a US imposed oil blockade and decaying infrastructure.

The Cuban Electric Union, which reports to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, announced on Saturday a total blackout across the island without initially giving a cause for the outage.

It later said that the blackout was caused by an unexpected failure of a generating unit at the Nuevitas thermoelectric plant in Camaguey province.

At 7am on Sunday (11am UK time), state utility Union Electrica said on social media that microsystems were operational in all territories.

It’s the second such blackout in a week on the island, and the third this month.

Sky’s US partner network NBC News reports that both regional and national power outages have been common in Cuba over the past two years, due to breakdowns in ageing infrastructure.

However, the government has also blamed the strict oil and fuel embargo brought in by the Trump administration in February.

Share

Trump sets his sights on Cuba

Cuba produces barely 40% of the fuel it needs to power its economy. The country’s president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, said last week that the island had not received oil from foreign suppliers for three months.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured by the US military in early January, which led to the halt of Cuba’s critical petroleum shipments from South America.

The US has also maintained a strict trade embargo on Cuba since 1962, the year after a failed, CIA-sponsored invasion of the island at the Bay of Pigs.

Donald Trump extended that blockade by signing an executive order imposing trade tariffs on countries exporting oil to Havana last month.

Read more from Sky News:
‘Selfless’ police officer dies in line of duty
Saturday Night Live UK reviews are in

Share

From February: How Cubans cope during US-imposed fuel blockade

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said experts condemned the move, and accused the US of a “serious violation of international law and a grave threat to a democratic and equitable international order”.

On 15 March, Mr Trump claimed the US could “do whatever we have to do” in Cuba after his Iran war. His warning came a day after a rare riot against the Cuban government.

Videos on social media showed people throwing rocks through the windows of a building as they shouted “liberty” in the background.

Nearly two decades after former FBI agent Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran, the FBI is renewing its appeal for information as colleagues and family members continue pushing for answers about one of the longest-running hostage cases involving an American.

FBI Director Kash Patel last week marked the anniversary of Levinson’s disappearance while recognizing Hostage and Wrongful Detainees Day, saying the bureau remains committed to finding out what happened to him.

“Even almost 20 years later, Bob is on our minds as much as ever before,” Patel said in a statement posted on social media. The FBI continues to offer up to $5 million for information leading to Levinson’s recovery, location or return, in addition to a State Department reward.

Levinson, a former FBI agent and Drug Enforcement Administration investigator, disappeared on March 9, 2007, while visiting Iran’s Kish Island in the Persian Gulf. Levinson was the longest-held hostage in U.S. history, and his family had fought for over a decade for his safe return, blaming the Iranian regime for his capture and imprisonment.

The FBI said it received this image of Robert Levinson in April 2011, four years after his disappearance. (FBI)

ROBERT LEVINSON, RETIRED FBI AGENT, PRESUMED DEAD IN IRANIAN CUSTODY OVER A DECADE AFTER DISAPPEARANCE

In 2020, U.S. officials said they believed Levinson likely died in Iranian custody, though his remains have never been recovered.

For former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker, who worked alongside Levinson years earlier, the case remains personal.

“I met Bobby Levinson when I was transferred to Miami in 1987,” Swecker told Fox News Digital. “He was kind of the iconic agent on the squad because he was prolific in developing cooperating cartel members and informants.”

Swecker said Levinson had built a reputation within the bureau for his ability to cultivate sources inside criminal organizations.

“He was a craftsman, a journeyman-level agent who knew what he was doing and was good at what he was doing,” Swecker said.

Levinson previously worked for the DEA before joining the FBI. Colleagues remembered him as a seasoned field investigator who preferred working cases rather than moving into management roles.

Swecker described the 6-foot-3 agent as both serious about his work and deeply devoted to his family.

FOLLOW US ON X

Levinson was 58 when he traveled to Kish Island, Iran, in 2007 working as a private investigator. He reportedly was taking part in an unauthorized CIA mission.

Upon his arrival, Levinson was said to have met with an American fugitive – Dawud Salahuddin – targeted by the CIA for recruitment, a source close to the Levinson case told Fox News in 2016.

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL

Salahuddin was wanted by the CIA for allegedly murdering an Iranian diplomat in Maryland in 1980, and Levinson hoped the mission to deliver him to the agency would secure him full-time employment with the CIA, the source told Fox News at the time.

Shortly afterward, Levinson disappeared, but Iran repeatedly denied capturing him or knowing of his whereabouts.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS

“I eventually read that he had been hired on contract with the agency,” he said. “Just such a risk to go to the island of Kish with his background.”

Robert Levinson is shown in this undated photo provided by Christine Levinson. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Christine Levinson)

GOT A TIP?

Iran has long denied responsibility for Levinson’s disappearance, though U.S. officials say evidence shows Iranian authorities detained him.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The U.S. Treasury Department in 2020 sanctioned two Iranian intelligence officials accused of involvement in Levinson’s disappearance and cover-up.

The far-left mocked, belittled, and, in Hollywood productions (from Archie Bunker to Al Bundy to Charlie Sheen’s character Charlie Harper in “Two and a Half Men”) parodied manliness into a thin cultural stereotype. With this accomplished, they began to blame masculinity (what they denounce as “toxic masculinity”) for everything they’ve done to men, and/or, especially, to boys.

The left next conveniently spun this into a political and marketing scheme: They defined the enemy as knuckle-dragging Neanderthals on the right, and presented themselves as the ones who could solve the now well-established crisis with boys.

This is a clever political scheme, as manly men don’t tend to vote for Democrats — those men are too self-reliant for the left’s government-empowering, cradle-to-grave entitlement programs — so weakening men, via attacks on strong, caring, protective and chivalrous masculine men, is, to a leftwing political activist, smart politics.

Also, there is an angle here that gives the left a social issue in which they are cast as offering maternal care — this might impress unmarried women and single mothers who are more likely to vote for Democrats.

I’VE BEEN A PASTOR FOR 40 YEARS. YOUNG MEN ARE STRUGGLING AND I THINK I KNOW WHY

Leftists declare traditional masculinity to be toxic. Boys still need heroes. (Frank Miniter’s new book, “Cool Heroes for Boys.”) (iStock)

Now, though it is an inconvenient fact to the far-left that the so-called “manosphere,” a term that includes a lot of new voices — some beneficial to young men and some that are not — is clearly a countermovement to the left’s attacks on masculinity, they can talk this away by claiming toxic masculinity is to blame for all that is negatively impacting young men.

The left can even pretend they are virtuous as they rip down statues of America’s Founding Fathers and all but erase boys’ heroes from school textbooks — a tragedy I am pushing back against with my forthcoming book “Cool Heroes for Boys” — as they frame this as an effort to protect young, impressionable men from historically imperfect men (as if any of us are perfect).

With this all done, some on the left can even use this as a marketing opportunity.

HOW FEMINISM HIJACKED THE CONVERSATION ON MASCULINITY

A current example is Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s — the wife of Calif. Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom — documentary “The Mask You Live In” (2015). This is a propaganda film on “toxic masculinity” that claims the phrase “be a man” is one of the “most destructive phrases in this society” and asserts that manliness is simply a social construct (no biology involved whatsoever). This film, along with curricula and educational materials, has been marketed to schools, universities and other institutions, many of which are in California, which have paid Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s nonprofit.

Now enter the left’s Elmer Fudd and former nominee for vice president of the United States, Minn. Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, who actually said on a recent podcast with Gov. Newsom: “I think I scare them a little bit [on masculinity]. … My identity is not hunting. My identity is not football coaching. My identity is not, you know, a beard and a truck.”

Actually, those are all stereotypes perpetuated by the left. Manliness is not a guy with bulging biceps either; any reasonable person, after all, would say that if there is, say, a car accident, and some scrawny man saves a life as a muscled jock panics and so is no good to anyone, then the unimpressive-looking guy is manly and the jock is not.

MAHER ARGUES TRUMP APPEALS TO YOUNG MEN TIRED OF BEING SHAMED FOR WHO THEY ARE

Clearly, actually being manly is about character, not brawn. It is about competency, not uselessness. It is about actual compassion for others, not feigned virtue signaling. It is about selflessly being willing and able to be a hero even if no one is recording it on their phone. In sum, being a real is about deeper things. It is not, and has never been, misogynistic.

The left next conveniently spun this into a political and marketing scheme: They defined the enemy as knuckle-dragging Neanderthals on the right, and presented themselves as the ones who can solve the now well-established crisis with boys.

An interesting aside is that our teens feel the lack of depth in the left’s attacks on actual manliness; for example, a recent “Teens & Screens” survey from the Center for Scholars & Storyteller at UCLA found that teens want to see more good fathers in television shows and movies.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

The study’s results are interesting, if obvious to any good father.

These UCLA researchers concluded: “Gen Alpha and Gen Z are signaling a profound cultural pivot. They are not asking for the absence of strength, they are asking for a broader definition of it, one that includes the courage to care, the wisdom to ask for help, and the joy found in domestic life.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Exactly, being a good man is a complicated thing, but he is not toxic. He is the opposite of toxic. He is a role model who, though certainly not perfect, is nevertheless heroically trying to be the best he can be to and for the rest of us.

Protein is practically everywhere. From protein coffee to protein-labeled desserts, grocery shelves now market the nutrient as a shorthand for “healthy.” 

On social media, influencers promote high-protein meal plans while warning followers to cut back on carbohydrates to lose weight, preserve muscle or adjust to the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1 medications.

The shift comes as GLP-1 drugs reshape eating habits and high-protein branding expands across the food industry.

MARTHA STEWART’S CARDIOLOGIST SAYS A SIMPLE SMOOTHIE ADD-IN IS LIKE ‘TAKING OZEMPIC’

At the same time, the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans place renewed emphasis on limiting added sugars and refined grains — guidance that some consumers and influencers interpret as support for lower-carbohydrate eating patterns.

But some nutrition experts say that interpretation risks oversimplifying what carbohydrates are — and how they function as part of a healthy diet.

The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans place renewed emphasis on limiting added sugars and refined grains. (realfood.gov)

“I think first and foremost, it’s important for us to talk about what a carbohydrate is,” Florida registered dietitian nutritionist Lee Cotton told Fox News Digital.

MEDITERRANEAN CHEF TOUTS ‘LIQUID GOLD’ IN PANTRY FOR HEART HEALTH AND WEIGHT LOSS BENEFITS

“I think the illusion is [that it’s] just pasta and croissants and doughnuts.“

That perception, she argued, ignores the fact that carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables and whole grains — foods that provide fiber, vitamins and other essential nutrients.

Florida dietitian nutritionist Lee Cotton said carbohydrates also include fruits and vegetables — something many people may forget. (Lindsey Potter)

The new dietary guidelines say Americans should “prioritize fiber-rich whole grains” and “significantly reduce the consumption of highly processed, refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, ready-to-eat or packaged breakfast options, flour tortillas and crackers.”

Low-carb messaging has grown alongside the rapid adoption of GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy. 

These drugs suppress appetite and slow gastric emptying, helping many patients reduce caloric intake and, in clinical studies, achieve significant weight loss and improved metabolic markers.

INTERMITTENT FASTING MAY BE NO BETTER THAN ‘DOING NOTHING,’ MAJOR REVIEW FINDS

“I believe in modern medicine,” she said. “But with these medications, we are stepping away from really [noticing] how our bodies feel and that innate capability for our bodies to feel hunger and satiety.”

Appetite suppression, she warned, can make it easier to overlook balanced nutrition.

In her new book “A Nourishing Perspective,” released earlier this month, Cotton cautions that overly restricting carbs may lead to low energy, digestive issues or nutrient gaps for some individuals.

Cotton cautioned that appetite suppression among GLP-1 users could lead some people to overlook balanced nutrition. (Lindsey Potter)

“If eliminating carbs worked long-term for most people, we wouldn’t keep reinventing low-carb diets every five years,” Cotton told Fox News Digital.

Meanwhile, protein has been elevated to what Cotton calls the “golden child of diet culture.”

She writes in her book, “It’s promoted as the most important macronutrient, but this little trophy winner is no more important than any other nutrient for overall health and wellness.” 

PEOPLE LOST WEIGHT WHILE EATING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FOOD — HERE’S THE SECRET

The apparent tension reflects a broader divide in how dietary guidance is interpreted. While federal recommendations emphasize improving carbohydrate quality and overall eating patterns, some popular diet approaches focus more directly on reducing total carbohydrate intake.

Dallas-based nutritionist Whitney Stuart said protein and carbs serve complementary roles in a healthy diet.

There has been an increased emphasis on protein, but some health experts say protein is no more or less important than carbs. (iStock)

“When we talk about protein and carbohydrates, I believe they work best together rather than being treated equally,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Think of protein as the building block that helps you feel full, while carbohydrates — especially those high in fiber — provide essential energy, support your digestive health and help keep your metabolism on track.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Stuart said she believes the focus should shift from low-carb diets to emphasizing high-fiber carbs.

“The real issue for many Americans isn’t that we eat too many carbs,” she said. “It’s that we don’t get enough fiber.”

A nutritionist told Fox News Digital that most Americans aren’t getting enough fiber in their diets. (iStock)

Carlo Filippone, the New Jersey-based founder of the Chicken Pound meal prep company, said Americans should look at the new food pyramid as a “protein-first” approach.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

“Fill your plate with protein, add veggies next and complex carbs last and least,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“Refined carbs should be a once-in-a-while indulgence.”

The founder of a chicken-based meal prep company said Americans should view the new food pyramid as a “protein-first” approach. (iStock)

Some clinicians have raised concerns about muscle loss among patients who significantly reduce calories without adequate protein. 

This concern has been noted among some who take GLP-1 medications, underscoring the importance of maintaining sufficient protein intake even as overall food consumption declines.

Overly restricting carbs may lead to low energy, digestive issues or nutrient gaps for some individuals.

“The essence of a great nutrition pattern is adequacy, variety and balance when it comes to eating,” Cotton said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Cotton’s message is less about defending carbs than restoring proportion.

Cotton told Fox News Digital that adequacy, variety and balance are the “essence of a great nutrition pattern.” (Lindsey Potter)

“Carbohydrates are not always the villain,” she said. 

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“I think like anything else in life, it’s just particularly what your choices are and how they impact your health.“

With the hunt reaching seven weeks Sunday, the family of missing Nancy Guthrie, 84, is “desperately” urging “renewed attention” in a search for answers and their mother, missing since Feb. 1.

“We desperately ask this community for renewed attention to our mom’s case — please consult camera, footage, journal notes, text messages, observations, or conversations that in retrospect may hold significance,” wrote the “The Guthrie Family: Camron and Kristine, Annie and Tommaso, Savannah and Michael” in an Instagram post Saturday night.

“No detail is too small. It may be the key,” the statement, shared on the NBC “Today” and KVOA Instagram pages, reads.

The family outlined “the key timelines” of Jan. 31, the last evening the mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie was seen alive, the “early morning hours” of Feb. 1, when Nancy Guthrie was reported missing, and “the late evening” of Jan. 11. The latter date’s importance might be tied to door security camera footage related to past revelations of a masked man on her doorstep.

AUTHORITIES PREPARING TO RETURN HOME OF NANCY GUTHRIE BACK TO FAMILY: REPORT

Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, remains missing and the family is urging renewed attention as the search hits seven weeks Sunday. (Courtesy of NBC)

“We miss our mom with every breath, and we cannot be in peace until she is home,” the statement concluded. “We cannot grieve; we can only ache and wonder. Our focus is solely on finding her and bringing her home.

“We want to celebrate her beautiful and courageous life, but we cannot do that until she is brought to a final place of rest,” the statement said. “Thank you for continuing to pray without ceasing.”

The family said they believe someone in the community may be holding a critical detail, even if they do not yet realize its importance. In their statement, the Guthries wrote, “Someone knows something,” and added that “No detail is too small. It may be the key.”

“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring from neighbors, friends, and the people of Tucson,” the statement, posted just before midnight ET, began. “We are all family now.”

SHERIFF WARNS NANCY GUTHRIE SUSPECT COULD ‘ABSOLUTELY’ STRIKE AGAIN, HINTS AT MOTIVE

“We continue to believe it is Tucsonans, and the greeted Southern Arizona community, that hold the key to finding resolution in this case,” the statement said. “Someone knows something. It’s possible a member of this community has information that they do not even realize is significant.”

Nancy Guthrie disappeared the night of Jan. 31 after a dinner with family and was reported missing Feb. 1 after she did not show up for church. 

Since then, investigators have released video of a suspected abductor at her doorstep and asked residents within a two-mile radius of her Catalina Foothills home to review and submit any unusual footage recorded between Jan. 1 and Feb. 2.

Investigators have also examined reports tied to a masked intruder seen on doorbell cameras and ransom demands involving cryptocurrency. TMZ reported one of the messages described itself as a “highly sophisticated” ransom demand and was forwarded to the FBI. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department continue to investigate the suspected abduction.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

A more than $1 million reward is being offered for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip through the Pima County Sheriff’s Department or the FBI’s online tip form.