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Cuba says it shot dead four people on US-registered speedboat

Published

2 weeks ago

2026/02/26

Priyan

Four people shot dead by Cuban border guards in a US-registered speedboat were Cuban nationals living in the United States, Cuba’s government said.

In a statement posted online, Cuba’s interior ministry said that the speedboat’s passengers – the four who were killed and six others who were wounded, also Cuban citizens – opened fire on a coast guard vessel that approached them near an island off the country’s northern coast on Wednesday.

The 10 individuals, some with previous criminal records, were armed and intended to “carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes” the statement said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was also investigating the “highly unusual” incident

Cuba’s interior ministry identified the six surviving passengers, who have since been detained, and one passenger who was killed.

They added that most of them “have prior records involving criminal and violent activity”.

Handguns, assault rifles and improvised explosive devices were recovered on the speedboat, according to the statement, along with other tactical gear.

The interior ministry also identified an eleventh person they said had been arrested and had confessed to being part of the alleged plot.

In an earlier statement posted on X, the ministry said the Florida-registered vessel – with the registration number FL7726SH – was detected near Cayo Falcones, in the country’s central Villa Clara province on Wednesday morning.

When a Cuban boat carrying five members of the ministry’s border guard approached the vessel for identification, “the crew of the violating speedboat opened fire” and wounded the Cuban commander, the statement said.

“As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six injured.”

Those injured were evacuated and given medical assistance, the statement added.

Before the Cuban government released some of the passengers’ identities, Rubio confirmed the boat was not carrying US government personnel and that an investigation was ongoing to “clarify” the event and what the passengers were doing in the area.

Rubio, spoke from Saint Kitts and Nevis, where he had travelled to meet with Caribbean leaders amid the Trump administration’s push to ramp up pressure on Cuba’s government, as well as other regional issues.

“We’re going to find out exactly what happened, who was involved, and we’ll make a determination on the basis of what we find out,” he told reporters.

He vowed that US investigators would move “quickly” to gather the key facts, and that the US Coast Guard has travelled to the “vicinity” of the attack.

But he added that the US would not rely on information provided by the Cuban government, and that Washington would independently verify the facts of the case.

“It is highly unusual to see shootouts on the open sea like that. It’s not something that happens everyday,” Rubio said.

The incident comes amid increased tensions between the US and Cuba, which is facing a deepening fuel crisis that has been worsened by the US blocking oil shipments from Venezuela, a long-standing ally in the region, to the island.

The first Cuban interior ministry statement alluded to these tensions, saying that “in the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect it territorial waters” and safeguard its sovereignty.

On Wednesday, the US Treasury said it would ease some small private sector transactions, including oil sales, to “support the Cuban people, for commercial and humanitarian use”.

The incident also happened one day after Cuban-American groups in Miami commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, which killed four people.

Wednesday’s incident sparked Florida lawmakers and state to call for an investigation and to criticise the Cuban government.

Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, a Cuban-American former mayor of Miami, said he would demand an investigation into what he called a “massacre”.

James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said he would direct local law enforcement to investigate the incident.

“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he said.

In the US Senate, Florida Republican Rick Scott, demanded “a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation and to determine what happened.”

“The Communist Cuban regime must be held accountable!” he added.

[BBC]

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Nepal election 2026: Counting continues with rapper Balendra Shah’s party close to super-majority

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/10

Priyan

[pic BBC]

Counting is continuing in Nepal as the party of rapper and ex-Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah is potentially just one seat away from winning a super-majority in parliament.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party‘s win would mark the first time in decades that a single party has won a majority in Nepal, which has a two-system format that makes it difficult for any one party to win outright

If the RSP secures a two-thirds majority, it would also be the first time in decades that a single party has achieved this

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Madagascar military leader dissolves government in surprise move

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/10

Priyan

Col Michael Randrianirina seized power last October in the wake of youth-led protests [BBC]

Madagascar’s military ruler Col Michael Randrianirina has dissolved the government unexpectedly, dismissing the prime minister and the entire cabinet, according to a statement from his spokesperson.

“The government has ceased its functions” it said, adding that Randrianirina will appoint a new prime minister “in line with the provisions stipulated by the constitution”.

No reason was given for the move.

Randrianirina seized power last October from Andry Rajoelina, following weeks of youth-led protests on the Indian Ocean island. Rajoelina had been elected president for a third term in a disputed poll in 2023.

The demonstrations were over persistent power and water shortages, culminating in the army siding with the demonstrators.

Randrianirina has pledged to call new elections within two years.

Last December, the regional bloc, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), directed Madagascar’s military authorities to submit a roadmap for restoring democracy including plans for fresh elections by the end of February.

But in a surprise on Monday, Randrianirina sacked his entire government and assigned permanent secretaries to run ministries’ day-to-day operations until a new cabinet is formed.

Randrianirina has not explained the motivation for the mass sackings, but leaders of the Gen Z movement, whose grassroots mobilisation helped bring the military leader to power, have called for more inclusiveness in the transition process and greater representation in decision-making structures.

Activist groups, calling themselves Gen Z and Gen Y movements, had recently issued a 72-hour ultimatum for Randrianirina’s resignation, citing frustration with his performance, local media reported.

Businessman Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo had been appointed prime minister in October in an effort to bridge the divide between military leadership and civilian government.

The the Gen Z movement leaders rejected his appointment at the time, saying it was made in a “non-transparent” manner and “without consultation”.

The group demanded to know how Rajaonarivelo was selected given what it said were his connection to the previous government.

They then said that the decision “runs contrary to the desired structural change” the movement was seeking.

Monday’s dissolution of the government could mark a significant shift in the country’s political landscape with the military leader seeking to establish a new administration.

[BBC]

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ICC Board meetings in Doha called off due to West Asia conflict

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/10

Priyan

Some ICC meetings will take place virtually over the next few weeks [Cricinfo]

The ICC Board and committee meetings scheduled for later this month in Doha have been called off due to the ongoing military conflict in West Asia. ESPNcricinfo understands that specific meetings, particularly those pertaining to the finance committee will take place virtually over the next few weeks. The possibility of in-person meetings in April remains open but much will depend on whether airspace has sufficiently re-opened for the board and committee members to fly safely.

The meetings were originally scheduled for March 25 to 27 and were due to include ICC Board Directors, Chief Executives, Committee members and ICC senior leadership. Three of the key issues up for discussion were global broadcasting rights ,with the deal between the ICC and *JioStar set to end in 2027, initial discussions over the next FTP and Olympic qualification for LA 2028. The second of those have already begun informally with several members approaching others as they make plans for cricket’s next four-year calendar.

This was the first time the ICC was due to meet in Qatar, which reports a cricketing participation growth rate of 447%. With limited flights to and from the country, hosting the meetings was deemed impossible at this time.

The crisis in West Asia has had an impact on scheduling too. The white-ball series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, scheduled to be held in the UAE from March 13 to 25, is likely to be postponed indefinitely.

[Cricinfo]