Russian Tanker Breaks US Blockade, Aids Cuba

0:00It's March 31st. This is Global News Today, AI-powered stories from around the world. A Russian tanker just docked on Cuba's Northern coast, unloading about 730,000 barrels of crude oil, the first shipment to hit. Their port since early January, this breaks a tough U.S. fuel blockade that starved the island for months. Earlier this week, the Anatoly Coloccan pulled into Matanzas, east of Havana. It comes after President Trump said last Sunday, he had no issue with other countries sending fuel, as long as Cubans can survive. The blockade has wrecked daily life. Nationwide blackouts, hospitals barely running on rations, schools and offices shut down, tourism's tanking, and drivers weigh weeks on a state app for just 20 liters of gas, paid in U.S. dollars. White House officials cleared this one shift for humanitarian reasons, but stressed his case by case with no policy shift. The crude still heads to an old Havana refinery, which could take over a week. Analysts figure this, buys Cuba just a few weeks of breathing room.

1:03But diesel for generators and transport is the real urgent fix right now.