Learning English

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The story

Cuba was receiving a third of its oil from Venezuela until a US operation removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, in January. No fuel had entered the country in three months and the capital, Havana, has seen blackouts of up to 15 hours a day.

Protests in Cuba come as a reaction to electricity blackouts and shortages of food, fuel and medicine, which have been worsened by a US blockade on oil. This has affected hospitals, public transport, education, rubbish collection and heavily impacted Cuba’s economy.

It’s been reported that the protest began peacefully but grew more destructive as people started throwing rocks and starting fires. Five people have been arrested in the central city of Moron over the weekend after destroying Communist office buildings.

News headlines

Cuban protesters ransack Communist office as energy crisis deepens 
BBC News

Trump threatens to ‘take’ Cuba as island grapples with nationwide blackout
Al Jazeera

Cuba invites exiles to invest in businesses on the island
Reuters

Key words and phrases

ransack
search a place in a violent or careless way

• The police ransacked the office looking for evidence.

grapple with
try to deal with or understand a difficult problem or idea

• Many politicians are still grappling with the impacts of social media on young people.

exile
someone who has been sent away or left a place, often for political reasons

• He’s been living as an exile for years after being threatened with arrest for his political views.

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