In 2016, I travelled to Cuba just as relations with the United States seemed to be thawing. What I found was a country caught between past and present, shaped by revolution, embargo and adaptation. From empty motorways and colonial towns to Havana’s layered contradictions, the trip left me with more questions than answers, and a lasting sense that Cuba is still negotiating its place between isolation and change.

From Maduro’s removal to Cuba’s scramble for energy security, the crises in Venezuela and Havana are no longer isolated events. Oil, sanctions and sovereignty now intersect in a broader struggle over influence in the Americas.

Gloria Estefan’s appearance on Songs and Stories with Kelly Clarkson was a joyful collision of worlds. From her Cuban roots and breakthrough with Miami Sound Machine to her resilience after tragedy, Estefan’s legacy continues to inspire.