Americas

Officials in Cuba report an islandwide blackout in the country of some 11 million people as its energy and economic crises deepen. The Ministry of Energy and Mines notes a "complete disconnection" of the country's electrical system and says it is investigating.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling for "new people in charge" of Cuba as the socialist island experiences its third nationwide blackout in four months. U.S. President Donald Trump has called Cuba a "very weakened nation."

Production of mezcal in Mexico is booming. That is to meet growing demand of the increasingly popular spirit in the United States. The boom in production has both created opportunities for producers, particularly in the state of Oaxaca, and come with environmental costs.

Ecuador's interior minister says the country is preparing a major crackdown on criminal groups set to begin this weekend with logistical support from the United States.

Human Rights Watch says drones operated by Haitian security forces and private contractors have killed at least 1,243 people and injured 738 others. The rights group said Tuesday that of those killed, 17 were children and 43 were adults not believed to be members of any criminal group.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in the trial of four men charged in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. They are charged with conspiring in South Florida to kidnap or kill Haiti's former leader, plus related charges.

Haiti's government has opened a 10-day registration period for political parties to run in an upcoming general election. It is a key step for a country that hasn't held one in more than a decade as deadly gang violence persists.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel says his government should "immediately" focus on implementing urgent transformations to the island's economic and social model as oil reserves in the Caribbean country dwindle.

Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei opened Congress with a fiery 90-minute speech highlighting his government's achievements and praising his relationship with American President Donald Trump.

A deadly shootout in Cuban territorial waters is also reminiscent of the early 1960s, when Cuban exiles, trained and armed by the CIA, tried to infiltrate Cuba to conduct acts of sabotage and assassinate the leaders of the Cuban Revolution.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino says he has "complete confidence" in Mexico as a World Cup co-host despite days of cartel violence in the country that has left at least 70 people dead.

Cuban state media said the Florida-registered boat was approached for identification a mile off the coast of the Villa Clara province when the people aboard opened fire.