Cuba plunged into darkness amid nationwide blackout

Cuba suffered its second nationwide blackout in less than a week Sunday, leaving nearly 10 million people without power as authorities worked to restore the electrical grid. The energy ministry reported a "total disconnection" of the national system, with some areas of Havana beginning to recover power while others remained dark into early Sunday. The blackouts reflect the strain on Cuba's aging electrical infrastructure and are compounded by a longstanding U.S. oil embargo that limits the island's access to fuel needed to generate electricity. Power outages have become increasingly common as Cuba's economy struggles and maintenance backlogs mount. The successive failures underscore the vulnerability of the island's critical infrastructure and the hardship faced by residents reliant on electricity for water, food preservation, and basic services.