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France 24
24-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
'Please, something to eat': Cubans forced to beg in economic crisis
The 62-year-old has been sleeping on the streets since his house outside the capital collapsed two years ago -- a frequent occurrence due to the dilapidation of many buildings, echoing an economy in ruins. "Food is the hardest part. I've been rummaging through trash cans for two years to eat," he tells AFP, his speech hindered by many missing teeth. Under a grimy T-shirt, Abel's body is skeletal. He says he suffers from arthritis, hypertension, and a liver problem for which he has no medicine. He admits he used to drink "quite a lot... You know, we're going through a tough time." Abel is one of a visibly growing number of beggars and homeless people in a country confronting its worst economic crisis in three decades. Earlier this month, Labor and Social Security Minister Marta Elena Feito resigned after causing an outcry with her statement that "there are no beggars" in the communist state crippled by decades of US sanctions. Analysts also point to structural weaknesses in Cuba's centralized economy and the Covid-19 pandemic's blow to the tourism industry. Long a champion of egalitarian socialism but critically short on foreign currency, the Cuban state has not had enough money these last four years to keep up with spending on social programs such as free healthcare and subsidized food. At the same time, food prices have skyrocketed nearly 500 percent, throwing Cubans into precarity. There are no official numbers on poverty in Cuba, where the word "poor" is not used in official communications, but rather terms such as "vulnerable people." Government data shows that 189,000 families and 350,000 individuals benefit from social aid programs on the island of 9.7 million inhabitants. 'A real problem' Juan De La Cruz, 63, told AFP he had been a beggar for two weeks. He sat on the street in a busy neighborhood of central Havana with a piece of cardboard on which he had scribbled: "Please, something to eat." "What Social Security gives me is not enough," said De La Cruz, who lost a leg to diabetes four years ago and receives an amount equivalent to less than $3 a month at the informal exchange rate. It is not enough to buy a kilo of chicken, he said, and the soup kitchen is little comfort. "The food is bad, rice without butter, without oil." At least he has a place to sleep, said the retired stretcher bearer, "a very small room," but "empty, empty, empty." President Miguel Diaz-Canel was forced to enter the fray over his minister's remarks, lambasting her "lack of sensitivity" and telling parliament that beggars are "concrete expressions of social inequalities" in Cuba. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero also acknowledged the country was facing "a real problem." In the absence of official data, experts have to rely on estimates. Sociologist Mayra Espina Prieto recently calculated that "between 40 and 45 percent" of Cubans live "in poverty." And UNICEF, the UN's children's agency, said last year that nearly one in ten Cuban children lived in "severe child food poverty," which means they survive one or two food groups a day, sometimes less. 'A small room' Arnaldo Victores sleeps in a motorcycle garage, on plastic bags, in a peripheral neighborhood of Havana. As he has no fixed address, the 65-year-old former physiotherapist cannot access social benefits in spite of his visual impairment. Every day, he travels to the city center and begs on a busy street. His dream? Just "a small room with a bathroom," Victores told AFP. Across the street from where he is forced to beseech strangers for alms there stands a brand-new state-owned hotel with 42 floors -- the tallest in the capital and a symbol of unforgivable waste for many Cubans struggling to make ends meet.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Camila Cabello and her billionaire boyfriend Henry Chalhoub's romance heats up in Ibiza with passionate kisses! Are they the hottest couple of summer 2025?
Camila Cabello was recently seen enjoying summer as the 28-year-old singer was spotted sharing steamy kisses with her boyfriend, who is a billionaire heir, Henry Junior Chalhoub , during a sun-soaked getaway in Ibiza, Spain, as per a report. Did Camila Cabello Do PDA With Her Boyfriend? The couple, who've been quietly growing closer over the past few months, didn't hold back as they packed on the PDA while relaxing by the beach, as per a People report. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Public Policy Management Data Science MCA Data Analytics Others Product Management Technology Finance Digital Marketing Leadership CXO Healthcare PGDM Operations Management Degree others healthcare Project Management MBA Data Science Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details According to the report, the pair shared a very passionate kiss on a seaweed-strewn dock as Cabello leans against Chalhoub and they even shared another intimate moment in the water, keeping their heads above to continue their romantic PDA. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Camila Cabello and Henry Chalhoub recently in Ibiza 🔥 — Camila Cabello Daily (@TheCamilaDaily) July 22, 2025 How Did the Couple Style Their Beach Look in Ibiza? The 'Havana' singer was seen wearing a plain black bikini, while, Chalhoub was seen shirtless, showing off his toned physique in a pair of camouflage swim shorts, as reported by People. Live Events ALSO READ: Chrome for iOS just made switching between Google accounts easier than ever When Did the Romance Between Camila Cabello and Henry Junior Chalhoub First Spark? The pair was first seen together in November 2024 at an Elie Saab fashion show afterparty in Saudi Arabia, reported Billboard. But speculation about their romantic relationship arose in January 2025 when the couple was spotted holding hands in St. Barts, according to the People report. Then in March 2025, the former Fifth Harmony member and her boyfriend were spotted being snuggled up to each other while attending Chanel's Fall/Winter 2025 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week, as reported by People. Even during an interaction posted on social media platform TikTok, their hands were seen interlocked before Chalhoub spots a camera and turns away, according to the report. Who Is Henry Junior Chalhoub? Chalhoub's family has founded the Dubai-based luxury fashion distribution company called the Chalhoub Group , which works with Verace, Jimmy Choo and several other brands, as reported by Business of Fashion. The billionaire family was recognized in Forbes' Top 100 Arab Family Businesses list in 2023, according to the People report. ALSO READ: Is the Kennedy Center Opera House about to be renamed after Melania Trump? Here is what Republican lawmakers are proposing Camila Cabello's Past Love Life Before dating Chalhoub, the Cinderella's star had many romantic relationships with some other big names including life coach Matthew Hussey, but her most notable partner was her on-again, off-again relationship with singer Shawn Mendes , as reported by People. The 'In My Blood' songwriter had confirmed to a crowd in Australia that the pair first started dating on the Fourth of July in 2019, she even had spoken about her brief reunion with Mendes in spring 2023, two years after the former couple had called ended their relationship in 2021, during an episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast in March 2024, as reported by People. The singer had explained at that time, "It took us both less time to be like, 'This doesn't feel right and we don't need to try so hard to make it work. It's all good,' and added, 'I will always care about him and love him. He's such a good person and I'm lucky because some people have exes that are awful, and he is not. He's a really kind, good person,' as quoted in the report. FAQs Who is Camila Cabello dating now? Camila Cabello is currently dating billionaire heir Henry Junior Chalhoub, as per the People report. What happened to Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes? They dated from 2019 to 2021 and briefly reconnected in 2023 before parting ways again, as per the People report.
Associated Press
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Book Review: 'The Tilting House' is a novel about coming of age in Communist Cuba
Yuri is a 16-year-old orphan who lives simply with her religious aunt in a big, old house in Communist Cuba in the years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Yuri's parents had named her after the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gargarin, hoping that one day she would grow up to be a famous female astronaut. Yuri now has vague hopes of being accepted into the Lenin school, Cuba's prestigious preparatory. Yuri and her Aunt Ruth's quiet lives are suddenly turned upside down when an unexpected visitor from 'la Yuma' — slang for the United States — shows up at their Havana home with a camera swinging from her neck and announcing she is family. Ruth later tells Yuri that 34-year-old Mariela is her daughter, and that when Mariela was an infant she sent her to live with a family in the United States through Operation Pedro Pan, a U.S. government program in which thousands of unaccompanied children were sent from Cuba to Miami in the early 1960s. 'The Tilting House,' by Miami-based writer Ivonne Lamazares, is an affecting and sometimes amusing coming-of-age novel set in a country that few have had the opportunity to visit, despite its proximity to the U.S. It's a study of hidden family secrets, the unhealed wound of losing a mother and the quest for home. Lamazares, who was born in Havana, knows her homeland well, and her book is rife with description and historic detail that only someone with first-hand knowledge could provide. Lamazares left Cuba for the United States in 1989 during a period of shortages and deprivation known as 'The Special Period in Time of Peace.' Her first novel, 'The Sugar Island,' also set in Cuba, was translated into seven languages. In 'The Tilting House,' Yuri is quickly pulled into Mariela's chaotic world and her absurd art projects, which include a tragicomic funeral for Ruth's dead dog, Lucho, in a public park using highly illegal homemade fireworks. Ruth, already viewed as suspect by the government as a member of the small Jehovah's Witnesses group, is arrested and sent to jail on unexplained charges. Mariela later tells Yuri that they aren't cousins, but sisters, and that their now-dead mother gave birth to her as a teenager. Mariela insists that their Aunt Ruth 'kidnapped' her and sent her to live in the U.S., where she was raised on a farm in Nebraska. More harebrained projects follow, and the family's tilting house finally tumbles after neighbors and acquaintances slowly chip away at the building to repurpose many of the structure's materials. Yuri later emigrates to the U.S., where she studies and starts a career that allows her to make a return visit to the island. On that trip her past becomes clearer, and she reaches something approaching closure and forgiveness. ___ AP book reviews:
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The luxury life of Fidel Castro's influencer grandson: Party-loving descendant of communist leader enrages poverty-stricken Cubans with videos flaunting his wealth
With average monthly wages in Cuba stuck at $16.50, according to the Havana Times, the Caribbean island is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. However, amid all the economic turmoil, there is one person who appears unfazed and continues to flash a lavish lifestyle - Fidel Castro 's influencer grandson, Sandro. The 33-year-old has over 121,000 followers on Instagram, where he flaunts luxury at every turn. He sips Cristal beer aboard yachts, speeds through Havana in Mercedes‑Benz cars, and hosts parties at EFE Bar, his exclusive venue where entry fees reach 1,000 CUP and minimum table bills climb to 15,000 CUP. That is hundreds of times what most Cubans earn in a month. He recently posted reels using Bad Bunny 's music to mock blackout‑ridden Havana, the nation's capital. He joked about giving electricity outages like the national power company, the Unión Eléctrica, on Instagram. In one of his most controversial clips, he said Cristal beer was 'medicine' that must not be missing at his bar. Sandro also shares posts showing him relaxing at El Patrón, a countryside retreat charging around $100 per night, which is more than four months of an average Cuban's monthly wage. Born to Alexis Castro Soto del Valle, one of Castro's five sons, he grew up inside the gated enclave of Punto Cero, surrounded by comforts denied to most Cubans. He smokes pricey Habanos cigars, wears designer clothes, plays reggaeton from Havana streets, and has built a public image that shows his family's privilege and the grip they had on power. Despite this, no one has independently assessed Sandro's net worth. Unlike his grandfather, who Forbes once estimated to be worth around $900 million, and Raúl Castro, estimated at roughly $100 million, Sandro's finances remain secretive. Analysts believe he profits from his nightlife businesses - such as EFE and Fantaxy - his Instagram influence, and likely implicit ties to family assets. Cuban society sees him as living off the revolution, with many dissidents sharing unfavourable opinions of him. In 2021, when a video showing him in a flashy Mercedes-Benz went viral, he scrambled to do damage control. He said in an apology video: 'The car in which I'm recording the video belongs to a friend of mine who lent it to me because I like cars and wanted to test it out.' But the damage had been done. In the clip, which amassed several views online, Sandro boasted about the 'toys' he had at home, with many saying it was a reference to his cars. The video came at a time when supplies in Cuba were scarce and made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. Economically, Cuba is sinking - its GDP shrank 1.1 per cent in 2024, marking five straight years of recession and a near‑10 per cent drop since 2019. Inflation keeps rising, shortages of food, fuel and medicine are routine, and blackouts sometimes last 16 to 20 hours a day. The country is in its worst social crisis in decades while Sandro parades imported meals, branded cocktails and Cristal giveaways. Social media users have often waded into his showcase. They mock how Cuban elites flaunt while ordinary citizens starve. One user stated that he is part of an elite who have profited off the hard work of the average worker. His behaviour has drawn internal criticism, too. His uncle Alex Castro reportedly called him 'papa podrida' (rotten potato) while state intellectual Ernesto Limia savagely labelled him 'imbecile.' But the current regime of Miguel Díaz-Canel has provided no visible rebuke, and Sandro continues to post provocatively. In a scathing take down, journalist Mónica Baró is reported to have said: 'While Raúl and Fidel spent decades asking the Cuban people for efforts and sacrifices, they prohibited them from doing anything that came to mind, from communicating with relatives abroad to entering a hotel or having a cellphone plan, their family lived amidst privileges.' When the average Cuban makes $16 to 25 per month, Sandro spends at levels foreign to the majority of citizens. He labels a beer 'Cristach,' mocks power cuts, and flaunts a full tank of fuel, all during a national exodus and mass despair across the island. On his social media pages, there are videos of women twerking seductively and clips of him riding a horse wearing military attire. Sandro Castro isn't just a flashy influencer. His detractors say he is an emblem of systemic inequality - a man whose inherited status and visible wealth reveal Cuba's biggest irony. Many critics opine that his life is a testament that the Cuban revolution was never designed for everyone. While citizens scrape by, he raves in neon lights with drinks in hand, living out the luxury that his grandfather once forbade. In several videos, he is seen taking sips of his favourite beer in luxurious locations
Arab News
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Cuba ends maximum age limit of 60 for presidential candidates
HAVANA: Cuba scrapped the maximum age limit of 60 for its presidential candidates as part of a constitutional reform approved Friday by parliament. The communist-ruled island's restriction of two five-year presidential terms and minimum age of 35 for candidates were left unchanged. The measure, approved by the Council of State, imposes no age limits on people 'in the full exercise of their physical and mental faculties, with... loyalty and revolutionary trajectory,' national assembly president Esteban Lazo said. Former president Raul Castro, who at age 94 still holds a seat in the assembly, was the first to vote for the reform that will be on the books for the 2028 presidential elections. Cuba's current president, 65-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canel, was elected in 2018 and then re-elected in 2023. No favored successor has been publicly designated. The inclusion of term and age limits in the 2019 constitution marked a radical shift after the six decades in which Fidel Castro and his brother Raul were in power. In 2016, Fidel had to hand over the reins to his brother due to health problems. He died later that year, after nearly half a century leading Cuba. Raul Castro officially became president in 2008, at the age of 76. In 2021, he retired as Communist Party first secretary, handing over power to Diaz-Canel. The nation of nearly 10 million people is suffering its worst economic crisis in three decades, with shortages of all kinds of supplies, power outages, and unprecedented emigration.
