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Cuba Cancels Cigar Festival Amid Energy Shortages Exacerbated by US Embargo

Due to global travel disruptions stemming from shortages, the highly anticipated yearly event for enthusiasts has been delayed indefinitely.

A fuel shortage, exacerbated by a US oil blockade, has led to the postponement of Havana's annual cigar festival, a prominent event in the Cuban capital.

A woman distrubutes cigars at the closing ceremony of the 2025 Habanos Festival
The event was due to take place over five days in late February

On Saturday, the Festival del Habano's organising committee announced that the five-day event, initially scheduled for late February, would be delayed indefinitely.

The committee cited the "complex economic situation" in Cuba, resulting from the US-imposed "economic, commercial and financial blockade", as the reason for the postponement.

The Caribbean island is experiencing power cuts due to a severe fuel shortage, which has been compounded by the US seizure of oil shipments from Venezuela, a long-time Cuban ally.

Additionally, a shortage of aviation fuel has prompted several airlines to suspend their services to Cuba, prompting travel warnings from countries such as the UK.

Despite being renowned globally, Cuban cigars are banned in the US due to longstanding trade embargoes imposed by the American government.

The Habano Festival typically attracts over 1,300 attendees from approximately 70 countries, who come to sample cigars, visit tobacco plantations, and tour factories.

Given the limitations on international tourism to the island due to the US embargo, the festival's organisers have opted to wait for an improvement in conditions before rescheduling the event.

The organising committee is currently working to determine a new date for the festival, which has not been announced yet.

According to the committee, the primary goal of the Habano Festival is to provide participants with a comprehensive and prestigious experience, reflecting the event's international reputation.

The decision to postpone the festival is intended to safeguard this experience and ensure its quality.

Prior to the US military's seizure of oil shipments, Venezuela had been supplying Cuba with approximately 35,000 barrels of oil per day, a significant source of fuel for the island nation.

The resulting power cuts, which can last up to 18 hours a day, have affected essential services, including hospital emergency wards, dialysis treatment, and water pumping stations.

US President Donald Trump has called on Cuban leaders to negotiate a deal, warning of unspecified consequences if they fail to do so.

UN human rights experts have condemned the US restrictions on Cuba's oil imports as a form of "extreme unilateral economic coercion".

The US and Cuba have maintained a strained relationship since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro, which overthrew a US-backed government, and subsequent economic and trade embargoes imposed by the US in 1960.

Although diplomatic relations between the two countries showed signs of improvement during the presidency of Barack Obama, the Trump administration has largely reversed these advancements.

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Hodgkinson Eyes World Record After Setting New Benchmark

At the UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Keely Hodgkinson expressed her intention to pursue a world record, having recently shattered the British 800m record.

In a dominant display, Keely Hodgkinson finished nine seconds clear of the field in the 800m event at the UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

Following her record-breaking performance at the UK Athletics Indoor Championships, Keely Hodgkinson has set her sights on achieving a new world record in the 800m event.

The 23-year-old Olympic gold medalist from 2024 delivered an impressive time of 1:56.33 in the heats, surpassing her own British record by nearly one second.

This achievement marked the fastest women's 800m time in 24 years and the third-fastest in history.

Although she had announced prior to the event that she would not participate in the final due to her upcoming appearance at the Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophee in France, Hodgkinson viewed the run as an opportunity for personal growth.

She explained that her primary goal was to qualify for the upcoming world championships in Poland, which is why she only participated in one round.

Hodgkinson considered the experience a valuable test, given that it had been three years since she last competed indoors, and she recognized the need to maintain her focus.

While not initially intending to set a world-leading time, Hodgkinson started strongly and managed to sustain her pace, resulting in a pleasant surprise and a strong overall performance.

When questioned about her ambition to break Jolanda Ceplak's indoor world record of 1:55.82, set in 2002, Hodgkinson expressed her determination, stating that she has long been vocal about her desire to claim the record.

Hodgkinson emphasized that she believes the record is within her reach and intends to make a serious attempt to break it.

On the first day of the championships, Dina Asher-Smith delivered a remarkable performance, winning the women's 60m title with a time of 7.05 seconds, narrowly edging out Amy Hunt by a tenth of a second and establishing a new championship record.

In a post-event interview, the 27-year-old Asher-Smith mentioned that she had been feeling strong throughout the indoor season, noting that sometimes patience and race sharpness are essential for achieving fast times.

Asher-Smith's winning margin over Amy Hunt was a mere tenth of a second.

Jeremiah Azu, the 24-year-old world and European indoor champion, successfully defended his UK title in the men's 60m, achieving a season's best time of 6.56 seconds.

Molly Caudery regained the women's pole vault title by clearing a height of 4.65m, while Owen Heard secured the men's title with a jump of 5.55m.

Lucy Hadaway emerged victorious in the women's long jump with a leap of 6.45m, and Tito Odunaike took the men's triple jump title with a distance of 15.45m.

Abigail Pawlett won the women's 60m hurdles with a personal best time of 8.05 seconds, and Daniel Goriola claimed the men's title with a season's best of 7.78 seconds.

Madeline Down finished first in the women's para 60m final with a time of 8.24 seconds, and Kevin Santos won the men's title with a time of 6.93 seconds.

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Hull edge out Bradford in Super League comeback match

Hull FC narrowly defeated Bradford Bulls 27-20 at the MKM Stadium, thwarting the latter’s bid for a comeback win in their Super League return.

A try from Harvey Barron contributed to Hull FC's win over the Bradford Bulls.

The scoring breakdown for Hull FC included tries from Batchelor, Barron, Litten, and Cust, with Pryce making five goals and adding a drop goal.

Bradford's scoring consisted of tries by Blake and two from Wynne, with Milnes converting four goals.

Bradford Bulls' return to Super League after an 11-year absence ended in a narrow 27-20 defeat to Hull FC, who secured the win in the final minutes of the match at the MKM Stadium.

Following York Knights' one-point upset over reigning champions Hull KR just 48 hours prior, Bradford Bulls found themselves on the losing end of another thrilling season-opening match.

The Bulls put up a strong fight, with the score tied and only three minutes remaining in regular time, making it a closely contested match until the end.

A drop goal by Hull FC's Will Pryce gave his team the lead, and Cade Cust sealed the victory with a try in the 79th minute.

The Hull FC lineup consisted of Pryce, Barron, Hardaker, Litten, Martin, Kemp, Sezer, Knight, Bourouh, Hill, Batchelor, Romano, and Aydin.

Hull FC's interchange players were Cust, Fash, Lisone, and Sao.

The Bradford team included Aekins, Okunbor, Marsters, Blake, Wynne, Keyes, Milnes, Sutton, Ackers, Lewis, Russell, Fulton, and Mellor.

Bradford's interchange players were Souter, Scurr, Doro, and Chamberlain.

The match was refereed by Marcus Griffiths.

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Shearer calls for Digne dismissal over reckless challenge

Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Dion Dublin weighed in on whether Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne deserved a red card for his high challenge on Norwich City’s Jacob Murphy.

A debate is underway regarding Aston Villa's Lucas Digne, with former footballers Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Dion Dublin weighing in on whether his high challenge on Jacob Murphy warranted a red card for Aston Villa.

For more football coverage, viewers can access additional FA Cup videos.

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