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Global Sumud Flotilla disrupts cargo ship bound for Israel

Global Sumud Flotilla disrupts cargo ship bound for Israel

NewsFeed Activists with the Global Sumud Flotilla have disrupted the MSC Maya, a cargo ship they believe was carrying materials used for Israeli weapons to the ports of Ashdod and Haifa. The vessel is operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which Al Jazeera confirms has carried hundreds of shipments to and from illegal Israeli settlements. Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)

Cuba confirms talks with US officials, wants end to Trump’s energy blockade

Cuba confirms talks with US officials, wants end to Trump’s energy blockade

A Cuban Foreign Ministry official said the exchange with Washington was ‘respectful and professional’ and devoid of threats. Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026 The Cuban government has confirmed that it held recent talks in Havana with officials from the United States, as tensions remain high between the two countries over Washington’s energy blockade of the Caribbean country. Alejandro Garcia del Toro, deputy director general in charge of US affairs at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that the US delegation included assistant secretaries of state, and the Cuban delegation included representatives at the level of deputy foreign minister. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Garcia de Toro said that the US delegation did not issue any threats or deadlines as had been reported by some US media outlets. “The entire exchange was conducted with respect and professionalism,” he said. In comments reported by Cuba’s Communist Party newspaper Granma, Garcia del Toro emphasised that ending the three-month-old US oil blockade was “a top priority” for the Cuban government in the talks, and accused Washington of “blackmail” for threatening countries that export oil to Cuba with tariffs. “This act of economic coercion is an unjustified punishment for the entire Cuban population,” he said. “It is also a form of global blackmail against sovereign states, which have every right to export fuel to Cuba, in accordance with the principles of free trade,” he added. US news outlet Axios reported on Friday that officials from US President Donald Trump’s administration held multiple meetings in Havana on April 10, including with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of former President Raul Castro. The meetings marked the first time that American diplomats had flown into Cuba since 2016 in a new diplomatic push. According to reports, US officials laid out several conditions for negotiations with Cuba to continue, including the release of prominent political prisoners, an end to political repression, and liberalising the island’s ailing economy. Advertisement The Reuters news agency said that US proposals for Cuba also include allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink internet terminals into the country and providing compensation for Americans and US corporations for assets confiscated by Cuba after the 1959 revolution. Washington is also concerned about the influence of foreign powers on the island, a US official told the news agency. Trump has hinted at military intervention in Cuba and warned of tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba. The fuel blockade has aggravated Cuba’s economic and energy crisis, leading to warnings of a humanitarian disaster. Cubans have also braced for a possible attack following Trump’s repeated warnings that the country will be “next” after his war on Iran and the US military’s abduction of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in January. Last week, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that his country was prepared to fight if the US carried through on its threats. The leaders of Mexico, Spain and Brazil on Saturday voiced concern over the “dramatic situation” in Cuba and urged “sincere and respectful dialogue”. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday there was no evident justification for the US to attack Cuba. “The ability to defend oneself does not mean the right to intervene militarily in other states when their political systems do not match what others might have in mind,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)

Trump’s Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer latest to leave administration

Trump’s Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer latest to leave administration

Chavez-DeRemer is the third high-profile female official to leave the Trump administration after recent departures of Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi. Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026 US Secretary of Labour Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving her post in the administration of President Donald Trump, the White House has said. Chavez-DeRemer is the third woman to leave the Trump administration since March, when the president fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the wake of federal immigration raids in Minnesota that led to the deaths of two protesters. Trump also ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Chavez-DeRemer has done a “phenomenal job” protecting American workers and is set to “take a position in the private sector”, White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung said in a post on X late on Monday, announcing the labour secretary’s departure. “Keith Sonderling will take on the role of Acting Secretary of Labor,” Cheung added, referring to the current deputy labour secretary. While Cheung did not give a reason for Chavez-DeRemer’s departure, the New York Post reported in January that she was under investigation for “pursuing an ‘inappropriate’ relationship with a subordinate” and drinking in her office during the work day. Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the allegations. From the beginning of her tenure, Chavez-DeRemer had some notable differences with other members of Trump’s inner circle. She had voiced support for the pro-union Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), earning support for her nomination from some Democrats. Her appointment was also seen as favoured by Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who notably spoke in support of Trump’s re-election campaign at the Republican National Convention in July 2024. Advertisement However, as the labour secretary, Chavez-DeRemer’s positions have more closely aligned with the Trump administration’s overall anti-regulatory policies, according to US media outlets. During her tenure as secretary, the Labor Department stalled on responding to calls for limits on silica exposure from Appalachian coal miners suffering from the occupational black lung disease. Chavez-DeRemer is not the first top official to leave the Labor Department during Trump’s second term. In August 2025, Trump fired the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Erika McEntarfer, who was appointed by previous President Joe Biden, after a report showed that hiring had slowed in July and was worse in May and June than had previously been reported. Chavez-DeRemer had supported the president’s move at the time. “I support the President’s decision to replace Biden’s Commissioner and ensure the American People can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS,” Chavez-DeRemer said in a post on X following McEntarfer’s removal. Adblock test (Why?)