Cuba's imports of crude and fuel in the first 10 months of the year fell more than a third compared with the same period of 2024 as key allies Mexico and Venezuela slashed supplies, according to shipping data and documents seen by Reuters, preventing the Caribbean country from easing daily power cuts.

Havana

Cuba is undergoing severe power outages, with Havana residents experiencing blackouts that sometimes last over nine hours a day, while outlying provinces receive as little as two to four hours of electricity. The Cuban government attributes the crisis to aging infrastructure, hurricane damage, and a significant reduction in fuel imports from Venezuela and Mexico.

According to shipping data and internal documents, Cuba's oil imports from Mexico have fallen by 73 percent and those from Venezuela by nearly 15 percent compared to the previous year. Both Mexico and Venezuela are facing their own production constraints, and Cuba's economic difficulties have hampered its ability to secure alternative fuel sources on the spot market.

Cuba suffers power cuts as Venezuela, Mexico cut fuel supplies

Cubans navigate the dark streets of Havana by the light of passing cars. That's as power outages increasingly hit the capital city. The scheduled and unplanned power cuts sometimes last for over nine hours a day. And many outlying provinces see just two to four hours of electricity per day. Havana resident Demelis Torrientes says the situation is getting worse. I think that for now, the power cuts are not going to improve. On the contrary, they are going to get worse, but I don't know why. Because they are getting worse. There are more blackouts every day. For example, in my experience, I have to live with electricity because I don't have gas. I live with one gas cylinder per month, and sometimes it doesn't last. I have a one-and-a-half-year-old child, and it's very difficult for me to live with this situation. But what can we do? Cuba's government blames the power outages on decrepit infrastructure, damage from Hurricane Melissa and fuel shortages. Almost 900 megawatts of power generation, nearly a third of daily demand, was shut down on Wednesday due to lack of fuel and lubricants, the country's electrical union said. The Communist-run island relies on imported refined products to meet demand. Cuba's sanctions and a deep economic crisis have for years made it impossible for the government to buy enough fuel, forcing a growing dependence on allies. But in the first 10 months of this year, Cuba's imports of crude and fuel fell more than a third compared with the previous year, as key allies Mexico and Venezuela slashed supplies. That's according to shipping data and documents seen by Reuters. Cuba's oil imports from Mexico declined to 5,000 barrels per day, a 73 percent fall from in the same period of 2024. Imports of crude and fuel from Venezuela fell almost 15 percent over the same period to 27,400 barrels per day, internal documents from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA showed. Mexico and Venezuela are both dealing with output limitations and do not have much spare capacity to offer to Cuba. Their lower availability, coupled with Cuba's struggles to pay for purchases on the spot market, has put a ceiling on the country's fuel imports. Russia, a supplier that has helped Cuba in past crises, has only sent a couple cargos of Ural's crude this year, in line with last year's supply, the data also showed. PDVSA, Mexico's state oil company PMEX, and the information ministries of Cuba and Venezuela did not reply to requests for comment.

All 267 people on board a South Korean passenger ferry that ran aground off the southwestern tip of the Korean peninsula on Wednesday (November 19) have been rescued, in an incident that revived memories of the major ferry disaster in 2014 in which 300 people died.

Mokpo-si

Ferry runs aground off South Korea, crew negligence suspected

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the bill that forces the Justice Department to release the files from its investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The bill was passed by the U.S. House and Senate on Tuesday.

Washington

Trump signs bill to release Epstein files

President Trump said he signed a bill on Wednesday night requiring the Justice Department to release files about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The DOJ now has 30 days to make the files public.

Trump says he's signed bill to release Epstein files

U.S. officials are now in Kyiv for the Trump administration's renewed push to end the Russia-Ukraine war. CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent and "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan has the details.

Kyiv

U.S. officials in Ukraine to push for renewed peace talks

Harvard University is opening a new inquiry into faculty connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Cam Srivastava, college administration reporter for The Harvard Crimson, joins CBS News with more.

Cambridge

Harvard announces new probe into faculty ties to Jeffrey Epstein

U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized a plan for the CIA in Venezuela, according to a New York Times report. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata has more details.

Trump authorizes plans for CIA covert operation in Venezuela: report

An Israeli strike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon killed 13 people and wounded several others, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Wednesday. The Israeli military said it struck Hamas militants who it said were operating in a training compound there.

Beirut

Middle East Conflict

Israeli strike on Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon kills 13

The Epstein files bill is expected to reach President Donald Trump's desk for his signature on Wednesday (November 19). CBS News' Taurean Small reports.

Trump set to sign bill to release Epstein files

Microsoft and Nvidia plan to invest a combined $15 billion into Anthropic. Bloomberg Intelligence's Mandeep Singh discusses why two of the biggest backers of OpenAI are putting money into its rival.

San Francisco

Microsoft, Nvidia to invest up to $15 billion in Anthropic

Hamas rejects the US-drafted UN resolution for a Gaza ceasefire and international stabilisation force.

New York

UN Security Council vote: Hamas rejects Gaza 'peace resolution'

President Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to the White House on Tuesday. The two leaders announced a boost in Saudi Arabia's planned investment in the U.S., from $600 billion to nearly $1 trillion.

Trump, MBS announce boost in Saudi investment to U.S.

President Donald Trump hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday, with the Saudi de facto ruler seeking to further rehabilitate his global image after the 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi and deepen ties with Washington.

Trump hosts Saudi crown prince for pomp-filled, deal-making visit

The Senate, through the process of unanimous consent, agreed to send the bill to President Trump's desk for his signature without any amendments once it's received from the House.

Senate to send Epstein files bill to Trump's desk for signature

The House has approved a bill that would require the Justice Department to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The bill, which received bipartisan support, now awaits consideration in the Senate.

House passes bill that would force release of Jeffrey Epstein files

Hopes for a strong G20 declaration on climate and debt relief are slim as South Africa readies to host the summit from Saturday (November 22). Global tensions and a boycott by the United States threaten to overshadow the gathering.

Johannesburg

South Africa readies for G20 despite U.S. boycott

At least one person is dead and three others were injured after an attack in the West Bank, Israeli forces said. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council backed the U.S. plan for Gaza. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio has the latest.

Jerusalem

Tensions escalate as U.N. Security Council backs Trump's plan for Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump will host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, his first visit since Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in 2018. The crown prince has denied any involvement.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visiting White House

The sale of the fighter jets is one of several major deals between the two countries expected to be announced during the visit.

Trump says he will sell F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia

The U.K. government has proposed a major overhaul of its asylum rules, making it easier to deport people and quadruple the amount of time it takes to become a permanent resident.

London

U.K. introduces tougher laws for asylum seekers

In a blistering opinion, a federal judge in Virginia accused Justice Department prosecutor Lindsay Halligan of misconduct, saying there was a "disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps."

Virginia

DOJ accused of 'profound investigative missteps' in Comey case

The United Nations Security Council has voted to adopt a U.S. resolution outlining President Trump's peace plan for post-war Gaza. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams has the details.

U.N. Security Council adopts U.S. resolution on Gaza plan

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford has arrived in the Caribbean, giving the United States the ability to strike inside Venezuela if President Trump gives the order. The U.S. has also sent thousands of troops to the region.

Trump 'won't rule out' sending troops to Venezuela amid rising tensions

President Trump now says Republicans should vote to release all of the files related to the federal investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News' Olivia Rinaldi and Nikole Killion have the latest on what could happen next.

Trump's Epstein files reversal comes amid pressure from allies

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called an explosion on a railway line “an unprecedented act of sabotage.” Donald Tusk did not say who he believed had carried out the attack, but a government minister said "foreign intelligence agencies" were responsible.

Warsaw

Railway line blast in Poland ‘unprecedented act of sabotage’

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed a landmark deal in Paris on Monday to buy 100 Rafale jets, drones, and air defense systems from France.

Paris

Ukraine signs deal with France for jets, air defense systems

The Federal Aviation Administration ended mandated cuts in domestic flights at 40 major U.S. airports, easing restrictions that had been imposed over air traffic control concerns during the federal shutdown.

FAA ends mandated cuts in domestic U.S. flights

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state, a day before the UN Security Council will vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution on Gaza that leaves the door open to Palestinian independence.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Netanyahu insists there can be no Palestinian state ahead of UN vote

A Bangladesh court sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity on Monday (November 17), concluding a months-long trial that found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.

Dhaka

Bangladesh's ousted PM sentenced to death for protest crackdown

President Donald Trump now appears to support the release of all Jeffrey Epstein files as the House of Representatives readies for a vote on the matter. CBS News' Natalie Brand reports.

House vote on Epstein files expected Tuesday

In the latest round of the Trump administration's sweeping immigration raids, federal agents arrested 81 people in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday alone. In videos posted online, some who were detained said they do have legal status.

Breakdown