BEIJING — BEIJING (AP) — China’s factory activity was flat in May, according to an official survey released Sunday, raising questions about how much further the country’s economy can shield itself from the fallout of the ongoing Iran war and pressure on demand. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index moderated to 50 from 50.3 in … Read more
HAVANA — Nearly 3 million Cubans experience water shortages every day because of a severe oil shortage that government officials blame on a U.S. energy blockade, authorities said late Wednesday during a roundtable discussion regarding the impact of the ongoing blockade. The island’s water system is operating with only 37% of the required fuel as … Read more
LONDON — The British government is offering cheaper chocolate and discounted entry to theme parks as it seeks to ease a cost-of-living squeeze and win back voters. Treasury chief Rachel Reeves on Thursday announced modest handouts to help alleviate rising costs sparked by the Iran war, including a reduction in import tax on cookies, chocolate … Read more
LONDON — The U.K. government has quietly watered down sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to shelter Britons from the cost-of-living squeeze triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A trade license that came into effect Wednesday permits the import of Russian oil that has ben refined into jet fuel and diesel … Read more
BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday in a meeting meant to reaffirm ties and that takes place only days after a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China. Xi welcomed Putin with a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. The two delegations later … Read more
HAVANA — A ship laden with humanitarian aid from the governments of Mexico and Uruguay arrived Monday in Havana to help ease Cuba’s spiraling crises. The ship, which departed from a Mexican port, includes personal hygiene items and 1,700 tons of grains, powdered milk and other food items, according to a statement published by Cuban … Read more
BENGALURU, India — Taxi driver Ravi Ranjan, who lives with his wife and child in New Delhi said shipping disruptions caused by the Iran war have forced him to pay higher prices for cooking fuel at a time when India’s prime minister is also urging residents to reduce driving and travel. It’s all hitting Ranjan’s … Read more
HAVANA — HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s national energy grid suffered a major failure early Thursday that severed power to the island’s eastern provinces, authorities said, as residents in the capital Havana faced ongoing blackouts. Cuba’s aging power grid has eroded in recent years as it faces a prolonged economic crisis, recently made worse by a … Read more
BANGKOK — Ship operators rely on a sludgelike substance known as bunker fuel to keep vessels running. The Iran war ‘s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off the supply of this fuel that powers the global maritime industry and its largest refueling hub in Asia. Bunker fuel is a literal bottom of … Read more
LA PAZ, Bolivia — Tired of gasoline shortages and skyrocketing prices, Simón Huanca took matters into his own hands. The 53-year-old Indigenous artisan imported a Chinese electric car to navigate El Alto, Bolivia’s highest city, using the vehicle to transport both his family and the alpaca wool for his weaving workshop. He also installed a … Read more