Could the US oil blockade snuff out the Cuban cigar?
Since January, the Trump administration has blocked foreign oil to Cuba. Will the island’s cigars survive the crisis?
![A Havana local smokes a cigar on the Malecón - the city’s waterfront area. Both domestically and abroad, Cuban cigars are becoming an increasingly rare luxury. [Euan Wallace/ Al Jazeera]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC02741-1775944580.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![Al Jazeera’s Marah Rayan breaks down why the US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is deepening an energy crisis that is driving up costs for everyone. [Al Jazeera]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/image-1776197399.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
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From: NewsFeed
US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad: What to expect?
US and Iranian delegations are set to meet in Islamabad for peace talks to end six weeks of war.
Published On 10 Apr 2026
US federal court hears new case against Trump tariffs
The case is to overturn the temporary tariffs that Trump imposed after the Supreme Court struck down his earlier ones.
Shipping in Strait of Hormuz at a standstill despite US-Iran ceasefire
Washington and Tehran accuse each other of not honouring truce agreement.
EXPLAINER
What is Iran’s Strait of Hormuz protocol and will other nations accept it?
Tehran’s plans to tax ships passing through the strait and raise money to rebuild is already seeing pushback.
Trump threatens 50% tariffs on countries that supply Iran with weapons
It’s not clear under what legal authority Trump can tack on this tariff, and analysts called it an ’empty threat’.
Meloni’s Trump trouble: Why Italian PM is distancing herself from US leader
The Italian leader’s cosy alliance with Trump may have become more of a liability than an asset as key elections near.
EXPLAINER
What’s Iran’s 10-point peace plan that Trump says is ‘not good enough’?
As US president’s deadline looms, a ceasefire appears unlikely.
EXPLAINER
Iran threatens Bab al-Mandeb closure: How would that affect world trade?
If the chokepoint were shut, along with the Strait of Hormuz, a quarter of the world’s energy supply would be blocked.
From: NewsFeed
Panama Papers: 10 years on
It’s been 10 years since the Panama Papers leak exposed how the world’s richest hide their wealth.
Published On 3 Apr 2026
From: NewsFeed
Oil shock triggers global price spikes as Iran war drags on
Fuel shocks from the US-Israel war on Iran are rippling worldwide, as Strait of Hormuz disruptions push prices higher.
Published On 2 Apr 2026
