All articles tagged with #embargo
Ubisoft is restructuring, closing Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting about 380 jobs at the Barcelona studio after consultations. News of the layoffs was shared with an embargo, a timing usually reserved for product announcements, prompting criticism of journalists’ role and the ethics of embargoes in reporting layoffs and workplace upheaval.
In a Havana interview, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister accuses Washington of fueling a humanitarian crisis with sanctions and threats of military action, says Cuba seeks dialogue and rejects U.S. attempts to dictate its political system, and asserts the country is prepared to pay the “maximum price” to defend its sovereignty amid intensifying U.S. pressure.
Sen. Marco Rubio is central to a Trump-era strategy to topple Cuba’s 67-year-old regime through maximum pressure, including a naval show of force and claims that Havana menaces U.S. security. Supporters say Rubio now has the authority to pursue a long-held goal, while critics warn the approach could invite unintended confrontation and leaves unclear what comes after any potential regime change.
A Brazilian journalist on the X do Controle podcast claims Rockstar Games and Take-Two will not issue review copies for GTA 6; instead, journalists would preview the game only at a closed, on-site testing event to prevent leaks, reflecting a strategy for what’s expected to be the biggest launch in gaming history. The report frames this as a possibility rather than a confirmed plan.
A decade after Obama’s historic Cuba visit raised hopes for reform and engagement, the island’s promise faded as Trump’s sanctions, a prolonged oil blockade and pandemic shocks battered tourism, sparking fuel shortages, blackouts, and a wave of emigration that left Havana increasingly empty; residents blame both U.S. policy and domestic mismanagement, illustrating how a promised transformation became a stalled, ongoing crisis.
U.S. and Cuban officials held rare talks in Havana, signaling a diplomatic breakthrough as Washington pressed for democratic and economic reforms, floated Starlink internet restoration, and reiterated the goal of ending the embargo via compensation and political freedoms. The discussions included Raul Castro’s grandson and warned that Cuba faces economic collapse and regional security concerns near Florida if reforms stall, while avoiding direct threats and pursuing a diplomatic path forward.
The first boat from the Nuestra America humanitarian flotilla arrived in Havana with food, medicine, solar panels and bicycles, highlighting solidarity as Cuba faces a deepening US energy blockade that has caused shortages and blackouts; activists call the gesture small but meaningful, while Trump and allies push for regime change and tougher energy restrictions.
Cuba says the entire island has suffered a second nationwide blackout, leaving more than 10 million people without power as restoration protocols begin, following an earlier grid collapse tied to fuel shortages amid sanctions that have disrupted imports from Venezuela and elsewhere and hurt tourism, hospitals, and agriculture.
Two Russian tankers carrying LNG and crude are sailing toward Cuba in a direct challenge to the U.S. embargo, with one vessel rerouted to Venezuela and the other still en route. Analysts say the shipments would provide only a short-term boost to Cuba’s energy-starved grid, which recently suffered a nationwide blackout, while the White House signals it will target countries continuing fuel deliveries.
Cuba’s vice foreign minister rejected reports that Havana is negotiating over President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s fate with the United States, insisting the political system and leadership aren’t up for discussion, while signaling possible talks on issues like trade and compensation for embargo damages; Trump has floated ousting Diaz-Canel and even taking Cuba, but Cuban officials say leadership remains non-negotiable.
Sen. Marco Rubio says Cuba’s centralized economy can’t be fixed and that the island’s reforms are not dramatic enough, while the Trump administration intensifies pressure with sanctions and an oil embargo. Cuba signals limited reforms and seeks foreign investment amid electricity shortages, protests, and mounting economic strain, as Washington exchanges talk with Havana but offers few details.
A nationwide blackout plunged 11 million Cubans into darkness, scrambling power across the island and leaving hospitals without reliable electricity as the country battles a persistent energy crisis fueled by months of fuel shortages blamed on the U.S. embargo; restoration began gradually, with about 31% of Havana reconnected by Tuesday as crews work to restart thermoelectric plants.
Bungie has asked critics to hold their full Marathon reviews until the game's late-March endgame zone, Cryo Archive, opens, a stance that recalls Destiny’s Vault of Glass rollout and raises questions about marketing shaping early impressions.
Bungie reportedly asked outlets to postpone Marathon reviews until after its official release, following a sub-100,000 Steam player count at launch. While early impressions praise gunplay, critics flag UI issues and a cautious outlook as post-launch content in March could shift the game's reception.
President Trump threatened to cut off all trade with Spain over a dispute about jointly operated U.S. air bases, signaling possible embargo actions despite EU trade rules; Spain defended the bases as part of NATO and bilateral agreements, while noting international law, and the episode follows earlier tariff threats and a Supreme Court decision limiting use of emergency powers.