visiting

HAVANA — Two U.S lawmakers called for a permanent solution to Cuba’s crises after witnessing the effects of a U.S. energy blockade during an official visit to the island.

Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez and members of Parliament during a five-day trip that ended Sunday.

Díaz-Canel wrote on X Monday that upon meeting with Jayapal and Jackson, he “denounced the criminal damage caused by the #blockade, particularly the consequences of the energy embargo imposed by the current US administration and its threats of even more aggressive actions.”

Díaz-Canel added: “I reiterated our government’s willingness to engage in serious and responsible bilateral dialogue and find solutions to our existing differences.”

Both the U.S. and Cuba have acknowledged recently that talks are ongoing at the highest level, but no details have been disclosed.

Jayapal told reporters she believes that recent steps taken by Cuba, such as opening the economy to certain investments by Cuban Americans living abroad; the recent announcement that more than 2,000 prisoners would be pardoned; and the arrival of an FBI team to collaborate in the investigation of a fatal shooting involving a U.S.-flagged boat, “indicate that the moment is here for us to have a real negotiation between the two countries and to reverse the failed U.S. policy of decades, a Cold War remnant that no longer serves the American people or the Cuban people.”

Cuba’s government has released the pardoned prisoners who were accused of a variety of crimes, although none so far appear to be political prisoners.

In late January, President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country that would sell or provide oil to Cuba, although he made an exception for a Russian ship that reached the island last week with 730,000 barrels of crude oil. It was the first petroleum shipment in three months to dock in Cuba, which produces only 40% of the oil it needs.

“This is cruel collective punishment — effectively an economic bombing of the infrastructure of the country — that has produced permanent damage. It must stop immediately,” Jayapal and Jackson said in a statement released Sunday.

Critical oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its leader, Nicolas Maduro.

Cubans already suffering from five years of economic crisis have acutely felt the impact of the fuel shortage: national blackouts, gasoline shortages and rationing, lack of public transport, cuts in working hours, paralyzed hospitals and surgeries, and suspension of flights, among other things.

Russia has promised a second delivery of petroleum, although it’s not clear when it might arrive. Experts have said that the first shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba’s daily demand for nine or 10 days.

Jayapal said that while such shipments are critical, they are only temporary solutions: “We need a longer, permanent solution for the Cuban people and the American people.”

Meanwhile, Jackson compared the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast to the oil blockade in Cuba, adding that the island “is the most sanctioned part of Earth.”

“Our government is fighting to keep the Strait of Hormuz open so there is a free flow of oil around the world. We want, for humanitarian reasons, a free flow of oil, fuel, and energy in our own hemisphere,” he said.

Jackson and Jayapal said they would prepare a report and continue to work on initiatives proposed by fellow members of the U.S. House of Representatives to lift sanctions against Cuba to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Mesquita and Rodríguez write for the Associated Press.

MY family’s favourite seaside holiday park has just been named best holiday park in AA’s Caravan And Camping Awards, and it’s about to open its very own Wetherspoons to boot. 

We visit Great Yarmouth several times a year and Haven Hopton is always the first place I check when I’m booking us somewhere to stay.

We love its location right by the beach and the family-friendly feel, and it turns out we’re not alone – AA inspectors were impressed by its immaculate grounds, top-tier amenities and welcoming atmosphere.

One of the best improvements in recent years has been the expansion of the indoor pool areas, by covering the old outdoor lido and linking it with the existing indoor area – to double the capacity for a year-round splashabout.

My boys loved the flume and the aqua inflatable course.

The soft play was also a winner and Hopton’s a great spot for a wander along the beach, as the caravans are set right by the sand. 

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It’s a half-hour bus ride to Great Yarmouth, where you have loads of great attractions, including the hippodrome with its seasonal shows, funfair rides and arcades.

What I really love about Hopton though is its tucked-away village vibe, despite being in between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

It’s off the main road and once you’re there, there’s plenty to keep you occupied if you never venture off-site.

It’s even got its own nine-hole golf course set beside a lake, which is perfect for families introducing youngsters to the sport. 

Just by the lane into the site, there’s a ruined church that’s been turned into a community garden, which is great for some peace and quiet away from the holiday park hustle and bustle.

You’ll be walking past a chip shop and an arcade to get there from your caravan, so it would be rude not to have a little go on the slot machines or grab something tasty to eat as you stroll past.

If we’re heading for a seaside resort nearby, it’ll always be Gorleston for us.

We love the wide golden sands, the splash pad and the clifftop playground, and we’ve had lovely food at the Pier Hotel and enjoyed open-air music at the bandstand overlooking the beach.

Our latest find is the beach huts at one end of the promenade, which are a perfect base for a day by the sea.

They are great all year round, a place to keep cosy by the coast in the winter and for a seat in the shade with a bit of sea breeze in the summer. 

One place on our must-visit list this year is Pleasurewood Hills, which is about 15 minutes away from Hopton.

It’s come under new ownership and has four extra rides opening this season.

Locals could get into the theme park for a tenner over the Easter weekend, but if you’re quick, you can convert Tesco Clubcard points into vouchers for entry before the park leaves the Clubcard scheme later this month.

The vouchers will be valid until October 22, so you can use them over the summer if you’re heading to the coast.

I think we’ve stayed in all the big caravan parks around Great Yarmouth now and Hopton is one that we’ll return to time and again.

Although we’ve enjoyed Haven holidays at Caister, Wild Duck and Seashore and they all have their own highlights, Hopton is hands-down our favourite.

If you’re looking for somewhere for May halfterm, you can actually stay there for less than the other three sister sites at the moment, with a midweek caravan at Hopton starting at £339, compared to £355 at Caister and Wild Duck and £479 at Seashore.

My top tip would be to go at the end of the season – we stayed there for Bonfire Night one year and we got two different light displays.

Haven put on a laser show and then we could also see the excellent fireworks being set off at the renowned Potters resort next door. It felt really festive.

And if you make Hopton your holiday hotspot this year, you’ll be able to grab a bite to eat at the new Wetherspoons that’s opening this spring.

The White Clover will be the one of nine boozers from the pub chain now open on Haven sites. 

March 13 (UPI) — A State Department official was barred Friday from going to Brazil because of a proposed visit to jailed former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is in prison for plotting a coup four years ago.

The official, Darren Beattie, was approved for a visa to attend a critical minerals summit next week, but his visa was pulled because the meeting with Bolsonaro was determined to be outside his diplomatic authorization, Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday, Bloomberg and The Guardian reported.

After the ruling, current Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ordered his government to revoke Beattie’s visa entirely, at least partially because U.S. President Donald Trump denied Brazilian health minister Alexandre Padilha a visa and revoked visas held by his wife and daughter.

“That American guy who said he was coming here to visit Bolsonaro, he’s been barred from visiting and I have forbidden him from to Brazil so long as they don’t free up the visa of my health minister, which has been blocked,” Lula said Friday.

Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence after he was convicted for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula.

The charges were based on Bolsonaro’s supporters storming government buildings in January 2023 — a plan that had started in 2021, before the 2022 election — in an effort to prevent Lula from taking office.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said that although Beattie’s visa application included the minerals summit and meetings with other Brazilian officials, he only asked for the other meetings after asking for the Bolsonaro visit.

Trump and many within his administration, including Beattie, have been critical of the Brazilian Supreme Court and the country’s officials for jailing Bolsonaro on the coup charges.

“It should be noted that a visit by a foreign state official to a former president in an election year may constitute undue interference in the internal affairs of the Brazilian state, Vieira told the Supreme Court.

Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro, who is the son of the former president, are currently locked in a close race for Brazil’s presidency after a poll found them tied for the first time with 41% of participants, which would lead to a runoff election.

The Brazilian presidential election is scheduled for Oct. 4, and a runoff would be Oct. 25.

Hannah and Simon took an ‘extreme day trip’ instead of having date night in the UK

A couple swapped their usual UK date night to fly to the French Alps for five hours of skiing and fondue. They claimed it could “easily be the same price” to go out for dinner and a show in London.

Hannah West, 39, and her husband, Simon, 52, wanted to see if an extreme day trip to the mountains was really possible. The couple, from Brighton, had an early 6am start in the airport but claim the trip was “totally worth it”.

The pair boarded a 6.10am flight from Gatwick Airport to Geneva in February, and despite the plane being delayed by an hour, they touched down in France by 10am. The content creators spent the afternoon skiing in La Clusaz before grabbing a fondue and flying back to the UK at 9.30pm.

They were back in time to kiss their kids goodnight. They added that, despite the trip setting them back £671.80, it could easily cost the same to go to London to see a show and have a nice dinner.

Hannah said: “We got in five hours of skiing which I think is how much most people would do in a day anyway. I feel like we got a really decent amount of skiing in. It was definitely worth it.

“You could easily have gone to London for the day and spent that if you went to watch a show and had dinner. The fact that we got to do that much skiing and it’s something we will never forget, I think it’s totally worth it.”

Hannah and Simon decided to challenge themselves to an extreme day trip after seeing others go on quick getaways. The mum-of-two said: “I’ve seen a lot of people doing them for city breaks, but I wanted to see if it was possible to do it for a ski trip.”

They spent £164.99 per person on return flights and determined to maximise their time on the snow, the couple hired a car for £59.18 straight from the airport and drove to the resort, allowing them to squeeze in five hours of skiing.

They arrived by midday, and after skiing, the couple still had time to get dinner and drinks. They spent £61 on a cheese fondue for two, dessert, one glass of wine and one cola. Hannah said: “The whole day felt magical and I felt like I was beaming the whole time. I couldn’t believe it was possible, the whole day I was on a high. It was the best date day.”

Their flight back to England was at 9.30pm. They managed to get back to their home in Brighton around 11.30pm, where their children – 11 and eight – were being babysat by their grandmother.

Hannah said: “This is such a great opportunity to have an amazing date day with your partner – to do something you both really love together and have a really special day you’re going to remember forever. It was exhausting, we were totally knackered.”

In total, the trip cost £671.80, which is £335.90 per person. While that may sound steep for a single day, Hannah argues it compares to a luxury day out in London.

She added that booking flights further in advance or travelling in a group would have reduced the cost. She said: “It’s not about replacing a week-long ski holiday, or am I suggesting this is something to do on a regular basis.

“But if you’re time-poor, or don’t have childcare for a week away, you can still have an amazing, special day together.” While she wouldn’t rush to repeat the adrenaline-fuelled day, she says she would do it again if the opportunity arose.

The couple took their trip in February 2025. Flight prices will likely be different now and will vary depending on the location people fly from, if trying to replicate a similar experience.

Cost breakdown (prices from February 2025):

• Parking: £31.68 at Gatwick Airport
• Flights: £164.99pp
• Car hire: £59.18
• Fuel: £14.63
• Tolls: £10.70
• Parking: £12.30
• Day pass skiing: £44.66pp
• Ski gear hire: £22.75 pp
• Food: £78.51
• Total: £671.80 (£335.90pp)