USA news live updates: US stands with Cuban people in call for freedom, relief from pandemic, says Biden – Times of India
US stands with Cuban people in call for freedom, relief from pandemic: Biden
The United States stands with the people of Cuba in their call for freedom and relief from the coronavirus pandemic and decades of repression, President Joe Biden said on Monday.Thousands of Cubans joined street protests from Havana to Santiago on Sunday in the biggest anti-government demonstrations on the Communist-run island in decades. They chanted “freedom” and called for President Miguel Diaz-Canel to step down.
Cuban president accuses US of wishing to provoke ‘social unrest’
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Monday blamed the United States of pursuing a “policy of economic suffocation to provoke social unrest in the country” where unprecedented anti-government protests broke out the day before.In a live television broadcast, Diaz-Canel said his government had tried to “confront and overcome” numerous difficulties caused by decades of US sanctions against the communist island.
Rare anti-government protests erupt in Cuba
Thousands of Cubans took part in rare protests Sunday against the communist government, chanting, “Down with the dictatorship,” as President Miguel Diaz-Canel called on his supporters to confront the demonstrators.The anti-government rallies started spontaneously in several cities as the country endures its worst economic crisis in 30 years, with chronic shortages of electricity and food.
On Sunday, firefighters working in temperatures that topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) were able to gain some ground on the Beckwourth Complex, doubling containment to 20%.
Largest wildfire of the year in California
A wildfire in southeast Washington grew to almost 60 square miles while in Idaho, Gov. Brad Little has mobilized the National Guard to help fight fires sparked after lightning storms swept across the drought-stricken region.
Top US commander in Afghanistan hands over command
The top US commander in Afghanistan relinquished his command at a ceremony in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Monday, taking the United States a step closer to ending its 20-year war.The move came as Taliban insurgents continue to gain territory across the country.Another four-star general will assume authority from his US post to conduct possible airstrikes in defense of Afghan government forces, at least until the US withdrawal concludes by August 31.
The largest wildfire of the year in California _ the Beckwourth Complex _ was raging along the Nevada state line and has burned about 134 square miles (348 square kilometers) as state regulators asked consumers to “conserve as much electricity as possible” to avoid any outages starting Monday afternoon.
Wildfires rage as US West grapples with heat wave, drought
Firefighters were working in extreme temperatures across the U.S. West and struggling to contain wildfires, the largest burning in California and Oregon, as another heat wave baked the region, straining power grids and forcing calls to conserve water.