World News for Students of English

19-05-2026 07:00

Cuba is facing a severe energy crisis after completely running out of diesel and fuel oil.

The country’s Energy Minister announced that the national power grid is in a critical state. The shortage has been worsened by a US-led blockade, which threatens tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba. As a result, former suppliers like Venezuela and Mexico have stopped shipments, and the fuel from a recent Russian oil tanker has already run out. This situation has caused prolonged blackouts that often last up to 22 hours a day. People struggle to do basic tasks, and sometimes wake up at 2 am during brief moments of electricity to cook or wash clothes. Food preservation is nearly impossible without working fridges, and basic goods are scarce.

Rare and angry protests broke out in Havana, where people blocked roads with burning rubbish and banged pots. The US has offered 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid, but only if Cuba makes changes to its communist system.

Difficult words: power grid (the big network of wires and machines that brings electricity to houses and cities), blockade (an action that stops goods, food, or fuel from entering a country), scarce (when something is very hard to find because there is not enough of it), preservation (keeping something safe and in good condition so it doesn’t spoil or break).

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