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Cuba working to reestablish electrical service after second grid collapse

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Cuba’s government said it was working again to reestablish electrical service across the island after state-run media earlier on Saturday reported the national grid had collapsed for a second time in 24 hours.

The country’s top electricity official, Lazaro Guerra, said on a morning TV news program that another grid malfunction in western Cuba had forced technicians to begin anew connecting three important power plants to the system, temporarily stalling progress.

CUBAN POWER PLANT FAILURE LEAVES MILLIONS IN THE DARK IN ISLAND-WIDE OUTAGE

«I can not assure you that we will be able to complete linking the system today, but we are estimating that there should be important progress today,» Guerra said.

A man organizes his medication at his home after state-run media earlier on Saturday reported the national grid had collapsed for a second time in 24 hours, in Havana, Cuba on October 19, 2024.    (REUTERS/Norlys Perez)

Just prior to Guerra’s statement, CubaDebate, one of the island’s state-run media outlets, said the grid operator, UNE, had reported a «total disconnection of the national electro-energetic system.»

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Guerra did not directly confirm the total collapse, leaving some confusion as to what exactly had taken place.

Cuba’s electrical grid first failed around midday on Friday after one of the island`s largest power plants shut down, suddenly leaving more than 10 million without power.

Even before the grid’s collapse, an electricity shortfall on Friday had forced Cuba’s communist-run government to send non-essential state workers home and cancel school classes for children as it sought to conserve fuel for generation.

But lights began to flicker on in scattered pockets across the island early in the evening on Friday, offering some hope that power would be restored.

Cuba’s government has blamed weeks of worsening blackouts – often 10 to 20 hours a day across much of the island – on deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages and rising demand.

Strong winds that began with Hurricane Milton last week had also complicated the island’s ability to deliver scarce fuel from boats offshore to feed its power plants, officials have said.

Fuel deliveries to the island have dropped off significantly this year, as Venezuela, Russia and Mexico, once key suppliers, have reduced their exports to Cuba.

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Key ally Venezuela slashed by half its deliveries of subsidized fuel to Cuba this year, forcing the island to search elsewhere for far more pricey oil on the spot market.

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Cuba’s government also blames the U.S. trade embargo, as well as sanctions under then-President Donald Trump, for ongoing difficulties in acquiring fuel and spare parts to operate and maintain its oil-fired plants.

The United States on Friday denied any role in the grid collapse in Cuba.


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Netanyahu promises retaliation following assassination attempt by Hezbollah

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Hezbollah following its alleged assassination attempt against him and his wife, calling it a «grave mistake.»

«The attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake,» Netanyahu wrote in a X post Saturday. «This will not deter me or the State of Israel from continuing our just war against our enemies in order to secure our future.»

Issuing a stark warning to Iran and the «Axis of Resistance,» which includes Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, the prime minister said Israel is determined to achieve its war objectives following the Oct. 7 attack and «change the security reality in our region for generations.»

«I say to Iran and its proxies in its axis of evil: Anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price; We will continue to eliminate the terrorists and those who dispatch them; We will bring our hostages home from Gaza; And we will return our citizens who live on our Northern border safely to their homes,» he wrote.

«Israel is determined to achieve all our war objectives and change the security reality in our region for generations to come,» Netanyahu said. 

Together, we will fight, and with God’s help – together, we will win.

— Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

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UAV LAUNCHED TOWARD ISRAELI PM NETANYAHU’S PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN CAESAREA

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with soldiers on the Israel-Lebanon border. (Haim Tzach/Israeli Prime Minister’s Office)

Netanyahu’s vow to hold Hezbollah accountable came after a UAV was launched towards his private residence in the coastal city of Caesarea on Saturday morning.

Netanyahu and his wife were not home when the incident happened, his spokesperson told Fox News.

No injuries were reported in the incident. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu had not been at his private residence for several days.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives statements to the media inside The Kirya, which houses the Israeli Defence Ministry. (Jacquelyn Martin/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Israeli military said that three drones had been fired from Lebanon on Saturday towards the prime minister’s house, but two had been intercepted.

IDF VIDEO: ISRAELI TANK FIRES AT BUILDING WHERE HAMAS LEADER YAHYA SINWAR WAS BARRICADED BEFORE BEING KILLED

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There were reports of some minor damage to the residence but Fox News Digital couldn’t confirm that report.

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Following the assassination attempt, Netanyahu released a video message, confidently declaring that «we’re going to win this war.»

«Two days ago we took out Sinwar, the terrorist mastermind whose goons beheaded our men, raped our women and burned our babies alive,» he said. «We took him out, and we’re continuing to battle with Iran’s other terrorist proxies.»

«We’re going to win this war,» he said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Saturday. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/File)

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, the Pentagon spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said.

WHO WAS YAHYA SINWAR? THE ISRAELI PRISONER TURNED TERRORIST HAMAS LEADER KILLED BY IDF TROOPS

Ryder said that Sec. Austin reviewed U.S. force-posture adjustments, including the recent deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system to reinforce Israel’s defenses in the face of threats from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and Iranian proxies. 

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The Secretary also told Minister Gallant that he was relieved Netanyahu was safe following the attack.

Mike Johnson

House Speaker Mike Johnson accused CBS News of cutting critical context to answers he gave during a «Face the Nation» appearance on Sunday. (Getty Images)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson wrote on X that he spoke with Netanyahu, saying that the prime minister remained «undettered.»

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«I spoke with my friend Prime Minister Netanyahu today, and I am happy to report he is safe, in good spirits, and undeterred,» Johnson said. «I told him America stands strong with Israel and reiterated our ongoing commitment to help counter Iran and its terrorist proxies. This is a crucial.»

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion and Younat Friling contributed to this report.




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